49ers offensive grades from first half of 2022 NFL season

The 49ers find themselves with a 4-4 record halfway through the 2022 season, so let’s break down how well the offense performed over this stretch.

In theory, the San Francisco 49ers offense should probably be a lot more high-performing a unit than it actually was over the first eight games of the season.

Speaking of that, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense wrapped up Weeks 1 through 8 by scoring a net total of 176 points, which is tied for 14th in the league as the Niners prepare for their Week 9 bye. And if it weren’t for San Francisco’s 31-point beatdown of the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday, one could safely assume Shanahan’s squad would be ranked much lower than in the middle of the pack.

Actually, “middle of the pack” is a perfect phrase to describe what the 49ers offense has been thus far. There have been moments of greatness, yes. But there has also been some awfully serious underachievement, especially when one looks at the talent level on this side of the ball.

Shanahan’s offenses have, at least frequently enough to become a trend, started off somewhat slowly. So it’s possible the second half of 2022 will see a far more productive Niners offense down the stretch, especially with All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey now in the fray.

McCaffrey’s impact was substantial in Week 8, but in terms of the first half of the season, it’s been minimal.

So, let’s grade out San Francisco’s first-half-of-the-year offense and see how things rank out, going through each position and assigning the necessary grades.