Injuries and the struggles of the defense were the primary culprits for the San Francisco 49ers' 6-11 finish last season. The offense didn't score points like it did in 2023 (13th in the league), but it was fourth in the league in total yards (376.3 per game) despite having running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for a total of 11 games.
The 49ers are flush with a mix of questions and potential as fantasy football managers take a look at the outlook for players in 2025. Matt Brandon of SI.com is rolling through ranking NFL offenses in fantasy terms for this year, and he has ranked the 49ers eighth-best in the league.
Quarterback Brock Purdy just missed finishing as a QB1 (top-12) by total fantasy points last season. But he was 10th in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks who started more than one game, and Brandon sees that upside for 2025.
"Despite missing two games, Brock Purdy finished just outside QB1 territory, ranking as the QB13 overall. "Mr. Irrelevant" totaled 3,864 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while also making an impact in the running game with 323 rushing yards on 66 carries and five additional touchdowns. With the talent at his disposal, Purdy should be considered a fringe QB1 heading into the 2025 season. He’s a top-15 quarterback with the potential for top-10 upside."
The Purdy detractors, in real life and/or fantasy terms, should take note of this stuff from Jacob Gibbs of CBS Sports via the Fantasy Football Today Newsletter.
"Guess how many quarterbacks saw a lower percentage of their passing yards come after the catch than Purdy in 2024. Four. Out of 31 qualifiers, Purdy ranked 27th. Only 42.7% of his yards came after the catch. He was pressured at the 10th highest rate. Only 17% of his pressures resulted in a sack, the sixth-lowest rate."
"Circumstances weren't great in San Fran last year. And still, Purdy ranked eighth in catchable ball rate (76.5% - per Data.FantasyPoints.com). Purdy's catchable ball rate when not pressured (82%) was the seventh-highest."
Fantasy ranking points to big upside for 49ers' offense in 2025
As has been the case throughout his career, health will be the driver of McCaffrey's fantasy impact this year. Brandon acknowledged how he's no longer a first-round pick, while ranking him as RB6 here in early May.
Brandon noted the 49ers' wide receiver group, with Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall lined up for significant opportunity with Deebo Samuel gone and Aiyuk likely out into the regular season as he works his way back from a torn ACL and MCL.
And of course we can't forget about tight end George Kittle, who has a strong case to be the first tight end off the board in fantasy drafts this year. As Brandon noted, Kittle was the top tight end by fantasy points per game in 2024 and he's arguably (or maybe there's no argument) the best/most reliable passing game weapon the 49ers have.
- A potential top-10 quarterback (Purdy).
- A running back, albeit with a wide range of outcomes, who could be a top-five finisher at the position (McCaffrey).
- The possible TE1 by total points, with a floor of top-five as long as he's healthy (Kittle).
- Two wide receivers would could both finish in the WR2 (top-24) range, or better (Jennings and Pearsall), and a third who could be a proverbial "league winner" when he returns to action (Aiyuk).
Add in a defense that has plenty of questions to drive plenty of high-scoring games, and the 49ers' offense is lined up to be an oasis of fantasy points again this year.