Power ranking 49ers top 10 defenders in 2019 entering Week 7
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers have used some standout defensive play to ride to a 5-0 record in 2019, and Niner Noise power ranks the top 10 players from this side of the ball over the first six weeks.
The San Francisco 49ers have surrendered just 20 points or more just once this season: the Niners’ 24-20 Week 3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Outside of that, the 5-0 49ers have never given up more than 17 points and have kept opponents in single-digit scoring twice this season.
Needless to say, San Francisco has ridden the back of its defense, which now ranks No. 2 in both points allowed (64) and yards given up (1,187). All those investments general manager John Lynch and Co. made on the defensive side of the ball are paying off handsomely.
And then some.
So it’s no surprise there have been plenty of defensive standouts for the 49ers over their first five games of 2019. From individual play to unit play, the Niners are using their defensive prowess to smother teams. Look no further than San Francisco’s defensive dominance over the defending NFC Champions, the Los Angeles Rams, in which the defense held Rams quarterback Jared Goff to a career-low 78 yards passing.
With Week 7 now on the horizon, Niner Noise power ranks the top 10 defenders for San Francisco so far this season. To set the criteria, we’ll look at traditional stats, advanced analytics like Pro Football Focus, individual accolades, general impact and other specific X-factors to create the list.
Thankfully, there are more than a few selections from which to choose, so let’s break down with the bottom five before we get into the best of the 49ers best ahead of Week 7.