Ranking 49ers 10 best players in 2021 after first four weeks

No. 7: 49ers Linebacker Fred Warner

Unfortunately, first-year defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans hasn’t always played to All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner‘s best strengths this season.

Case in point, in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers late in the fourth quarter, Warner was aligned too close towards the line of scrimmage, allowing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to easily find targets over the middle of the field. Had Warner been dropped back in coverage in a Tampa 2-like coverage, the outcome from that game could have been much different than the tough 30-28 loss.

All that said, though, Warner remains a vital cog in what’s still a decent defense this season despite its own inconsistencies.

Warner is, not surprisingly, right back atop San Francisco’s leaderboard in tackles with 36, also boasting two of them for a loss with one pass broken up. And as far as playmaking prowess goes, the threat of Warner coming up with a key turnover or making a huge stop at a decisive moment isn’t going to go away anytime soon.

Perhaps Warner’s stock is a little less than it was to close out 2020, but it’s still more than safe to say the 49ers defense has remained a top-10 unit because of his presence on the field.