49ers fans aren't thanking these 3 less-discussed players enough

The San Francisco 49ers are in the midst of a disappointing 2024 campaign. Despite this, the Niners have several underrated players for whom fans should be thankful this Thanksgiving.

While the 49ers seem likely to miss the postseason sitting at 5-6 on the year, they have still gotten valuable contributions this year from players who may not make the headlines.

Let’s take a look.

Chris Conley

The 49ers have a lot of wide receivers on their team so it is easy for veteran Chris Conley to get lost in the shuffle. He has been on the Niners since last year, and while he has made a limited impact on offense, two things this season have really stood out. Earlier this season in Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys, he made a selfless and veteran move to benefit rookie Ricky Pearsall.

There was some confusion on the play with rookie wideouts Jacob Cowing and Pearsall. According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, they lined up in the wrong spots, and Conley was able to recognize this and told Pearsall that he should be the one to take the end-around carry because Conley knew he had more speed. Pearsall broke off a 40-yard run and Conley was down there blocking for him.

It’s the kind of selflessness that helps winning teams and that frankly, the Niners have needed more of this season.

Another moment that stands out is during Week 12 versus the Green Bay Packers. Rookie running back Isaac Guerendo returned a kick and fumbled the football. Conley, as a member of the special teams unit, had the presence of mind to jump on the ball and prevent another costly special teams blunder. It was a small thing, but it is easy to see guys quitting on the season, yet Conley refused to do that by jumping on the ball.

Malik Mustapha

The 49ers have gotten a lot of great contributions from their rookies this season, and this includes safety Malik Mustapha.

The first-year defensive back has gotten more and more confident as the year has gone on, making big hits and making interceptions. He is clearing carving out a path to be the team’s starting safety of the future with the likely departure of Talanoa Hufanga in free agency.

Mustapha is one of the few bright spots on the team this year and Niners fans should be thankful for him.

Jordan Mason

It is hard to think of Jordan Mason being underrated after his hot start to 2024 while filling in for the injured Christian McCaffrey. But Mason has become a bit of an afterthought for the team after McCaffrey has returned.

We still should remember how effective Mason was running the ball early this season. One could argue he still needs to be a big part of the run game to ensure McCaffrey can stay healthy going forward. The undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech filled in and did a good job and Niners fans should be thankful he kept the offense going. 

Even though it has been a disappointing year, Niners fans should still be thankful for these players. We at Niner Noise wish everyone out there a Happy Thanksgiving. 

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