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Player Outlooks (2024)
QB Brock Purdy: There should be zero doubt about Purdy being one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks after leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl, and the fantasy success also places him among the league’s top options coming off an overall QB6 finish. The status of Brandon Aiyuk obviously bears monitoring, but Kyle Shanahan will know how to adjust his attack to maximize the offensive production, and first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall is a ready-made option to step into a large role. And for those still skeptical, listen to Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s comments about Purdy—who he compared to Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson after watching his film.
RB Christian McCaffrey: Coming off another dominant season in which he averaged 22.4 fantasy points per game, McCaffrey trailed only Josh Allen (23.1) among all players, and he should again be the No. 1 overall pick in all formats as fantasy football’s biggest difference-maker. Being the centerpiece of Kyle Shanahan’s offense, McCaffrey hates leaving the game, gets featured as a pass-catcher, and is usually used in goal-line and short-yardage situations, so there is no reason to expect things will change in 2024. Overall, we’d say this is the year to either want the first pick for McCaffrey or a late selection to perhaps double up on two potential high-end RB1/WR1 options.
RB Elijah Mitchell: Mitchell didn’t appear to be himself when on the field last season as he dealt with a couple of knee issues, but injuries have constantly impacted him since entering the league, and the 49ers moving on because of durability concerns is a real possibility after drafting Isaac Guerendo in Round 4. If Mitchell proves he can stay healthy this summer, though, we would think he’s the favorite to be the backup to Christian McCaffrey with 4.9 yards per carry across his first two seasons and a fast, violent running style—making him a worthwhile late-round investment.
RB Jordan Mason: We also wouldn’t sleep on Mason based on what he’s shown since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022—rushing 83 times for 464 yards (5.6 YPC) and four touchdowns off the bench. Of course, fantasy value will be difficult to come by with Christian McCaffrey healthy and absorbing snaps, but Mason rushed ten times for 69 yards and a score in his lone game with double-digit touches in 2023.
RB Isaac Guerendo: As has been stated for players in previous fantasy previews, Guerendo is another rookie that was somewhat polarizing—but the landing spot with the 49ers (and being drafted Round 4) is ideal if he can rise to be the No. 2 back for them. At Louisville, Guerendo showed he’s a slashing runner with good size at 225 pounds, and his 4.33 speed at the Combine was a pleasant surprise that boosted his draft stock.
WR Deebo Samuel: Samuel had some lows last season that were spotlighted because of a disappointing postseason—and Super Bowl—for him, and it led to heavy trade rumors that have since been put to rest. The takeover potential was also shown by Deebo in 2023, including a combined 11/265/3 line with another two touchdowns on the ground in back-to-back wins over the Eagles and Seahawks in December, and the 1,117 total yards and 12 total touchdowns were each the second-most of his career. Consider him a strong WR2 for 2024.
WR Brandon Aiyuk: Aiyuk enjoyed a full-blown breakout last season on just 105 targets, as he displayed extreme efficiency with 12.8 yards per target on his way to earning a Second-Team All-Pro selection. The production has him seeking a new contract, which led to a formal trade request this week that will be interesting to see play out. If he stays, Aiyuk would be in the best spot to maximize his fantasy output coming off an overall WR12 finish, and if he goes, Washington comes to mind as a fit to reunite with college teammate Jayden Daniels.
WR Ricky Pearsall: Our initial reaction to the 49ers taking Pearsall in the first round was that Deebo Samuel might be on the move, as the rookie’s fit in Kyle Shanahan’s offense would seem to be as a player that can do a lot of the things Deebo can based on his overall skillset and athleticism. But now it seems that Brandon Aiyuk is the only candidate to be moved, so we’re intrigued by the adjustments that Kyle Shanahan would make to his scheme. Pearsall does need to clean up his releases and learn how to separate more, but the ability is there to be a FLEX in Year 1 with Aiyuk’s status up in the air.
WR Jauan Jennings: If the 49ers don’t trade Brandon Aiyuk, then Ricky Pearsall could be pushed into the No. 4 wide receiver role—as Jennings is an extremely important part of the San Francisco offense and returned on a two-year, $15.39-million deal. Jennings is more of a tone setter than a fantasy contributor, but perhaps he can make a leap as a pass-catcher, and the former Tennessee star did catch five touchdowns as a rookie in 2021.
WR Jacob Cowing: Cowing is a player we thought had flashes of Christian Kirk to his game, and he could have easily gone on Day 2 if not for an “undersized” five-foot-eight, 168-pound frame. The rookie plays tough, though, and his explosiveness can add another element to Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Keep an eye on him if Brandon Aiyuk is traded, especially with the Niners not caring at all about draft position when it comes to earning roles.
WRs Ronnie Bell and Danny Gray: Bell made the team as a late seventh-round pick in 2023, and another solid summer could give him the edge over Danny Gray for the final roster spot. However, their roles are different, and maybe Gray—a former third-round pick with deep speed—would benefit from Brandon Aiyuk getting traded by stepping up on the outside.
TE George Kittle: Coming off a First-Team All-Pro selection, Kittle averaged a career-best 11.3 yards per target to make up for not having the offense funnel through him as much as others, and he’s become somewhat of an upside, high-ceiling play that could unfortunately be an afterthought in any given game. The instability leveled off as the season progressed, but the first six weeks of last year is an example of the worry about taking Kittle—arguably the best tight end in football—as a top-tier option at tight end, as he went for fantasy-point totals of 3.4, 4.5, 12.5, 1.4, 26.2, and 0.6 to begin 2023. Of course, the other end of the spectrum with white-hot games, and he could rank as a top-five target depending on your roster construction.
TE Logan Thomas: Thomas is now three seasons removed from a career-best 72/670/6 line, but he did remain productive last year (55/496/4), and the 49ers are counting on him for a decent role after striking out on Brock Wright in free agency. The 33-year-old would draw TE2 appeal if George Kittle were to miss time.
TEs Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis: Latu missed the entire 2023 season and Willis didn’t catch a pass as a rookie, but San Francisco will see if one of them can step up in Year 2. Based on OTA’s, it sounds like Willis (despite being a seventh-rounder) could have the edge over Latu (drafted in the third round), but there isn’t really any standalone appeal behind George Kittle.
Other Notes
Best IDP value: CB Renardo Green
Green has lockdown potential at cornerback, and we viewed him as a first-round prospect despite most ranking him firmly as a Day 3 pick—so it was nice to see the 49ers believed in him with their selection in Round 2. The concern in IDP leagues would be Green not really going for interceptions based on his play style, but he had 13 pass deflections in 2023, is an excellent tackler, and will be coached up with inside-outside versatility.
Stat to know (via draft guide)
In 27 games since being acquired by the 49ers, Christian McCaffrey has averaged a season-long pace of 271 carries, 1,388 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 75 receptions, 647 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns.