49ers desperately need more from these 3 players in Week 4 vs. Patriots

The 49ers host the Patriots this Sunday, and in order to avoid a three-game losing streak, the Niners will need better efforts from these three players.

Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams was supposed to be a "get right" game for the San Francisco 49ers, who underwent a tough road loss at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings the previous week.

Instead, the trip to LA marked an epic fourth-quarter collapse, one that dropped the Niners to 1-2 and had them looking at far more questions than answers nearing the first-quarter mark of the season.

Fortunately, if one wants to refer to it as such, San Francisco welcomes a rebuilding New England Patriots squad to Levi's Stadium in Week 4, and this pending bout affords head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. another shot to get right.

That said, a number of 49ers players have to individually bounce back from the previous two-week skid and put forth efforts that'll help resolve the losing streak and all the elements that have gone into it.

Especially these three Niners, who need a positive performance this Sunday.

No. 1: Defensive end Leonard Floyd

One of San Francisco's marquee free-agent pickups from the offseason, edge Leonard Floyd has largely been a disappointment since his one-sack game back in Week 1 against the New York Jets.

Not only has Floyd failed to register a sack over the last two weeks, he's also notched just one quarterback pressure, and the 49ers pass rush has largely been held in check during that span.

Things will get more difficult now, too, following the season-ending injury loss of defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, which puts more pressure on Floyd and All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa to apply more pressure.

Fortunately, Sunday provides an excellent opportunity, as Pro Football Focus currently ranks the Pats offensive line dead last entering Week 4.

No. 2: Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk

Statistically, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been a massive disappointment after inking his lucrative contract extension just before the regular season began. Through three weeks, the 2020 first-round draft pick has just 11 catches for 119 yards and no touchdowns, suggesting he's entering a post-extension "slump" year.

Granted, those who watched the tape from Week 3 understand Aiyuk was doing plenty of the little things that helped open up fellow wideout Jauan Jennings for a career-best three-touchdown performance. Aiyuk, in contrast, frequently commanded Los Angeles' primary attention in the secondary, whereas Jennings was often the beneficiary from a stats perspective.

That said, the time for Aiyuk to deliver as a true No. 1 receiving threat has reached a point of urgency.

Considering New England's defense is allowing an average of 6.3 yards per pass play this season, the opportunities should certainly be there.

No. 3: Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell

Another notable offseason pickup, linebacker De'Vondre Campbell has been a major disappointment thus far and was a major reason why the Niners dropped a winnable game against the Rams, primarily responsible for one of running back Kyren Williams' rushing touchdowns and also committing a costly defensive pass-interference penalty late in the fourth quarter.

It's probably safe to assume Campbell is nowhere close to the All-Pro type of player he was back with the Green Bay Packers in 2021, and San Francisco might be eager to demote him once linebackers Dee Winters and especially Dre Greenlaw return from injury.

For now, Campbell likely remains in a prominent role merely by default.

Luckily, the Patriots boast relatively few offensive weapons who pose a serious threat. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson is averaging 4.3 yards per rush attempt this season and figures to be a primary focal point for Campbell and the 49ers defense, but the only other notable weapon is tight end Hunter Henry, whose 136 receiving yards on the year don't exactly offer much intimidation.

If Campbell can merely outperform last week's efforts, the Niners will be notably better off because of it when they square off against the Pats on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 4:05 p.m.

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