Seven 49ers land in PFF Top 50 rankings for 2024

Jul 20, 2024, 11:49 AM

Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after scoring a 6-yard...

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

With the 2024 NFL season right around the corner, various rankings will be released over the coming weeks. This week was PFF, featuring a plethora of 49ers in their 2024 ranking.

Pro Football Focus released their top-50 player rankings for 2024 this week. Unsurprisingly, the San Francisco 49ers were featured heavily, as seven members of the Red & Gold made the list this year. That’s one higher than 2023 (6), with two wideouts just making the cut at Nos. 49 & 50.

While offseason rankings only matter off the field, the vote of confidence for several 49ers emphasizes how dominant this team has been over the past five years. Here’s what the noted football website had to say about the best of the best on the 49ers.

There are 7 #49ers on PFF’s 50 best players list heading into the 2024 season:

#3 Trent Williams
#7 Nick Bosa
#9 Fred Warner
#10 Christian McCaffrey
#19 George Kittle
#49 Brandon Aiyuk
#50 Deebo Samuel pic.twitter.com/Je5Ljkj0Ma

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) July 19, 2024

No. 3: LT Trent Williams (Last Year: 3)

From PFF:

Perhaps nothing better sums up Trent Williams‘ dominance than the fact that he has actual highlight reels as an offensive tackle. He didn’t give up a sack all last season while posting a 92.6 PFF run-blocking grade. He was one of only two tackles in the game to earn PFF grades of at least 80.0 as both a pass protector and a run blocker, and the only one to do so with an overall mark north of 90.0.

Trent Williams: 97.0 career PFF Grade

The highest-graded tackle in PFF history

No. 3 on the PFF50: https://t.co/3XQSrKGgHE pic.twitter.com/SjLJoqjCqw

— PFF (@PFF) July 19, 2024

No. 7: DE Nick Bosa (Last Year: 6)

From PFF:

Nick Bosa was seen as having a slow start to the season because he recorded just one sack in the first four games, but also racked up 20 total pressures and three 90.0-plus PFF pass-rushing grades in that span. Bosa was a dominant force all season long and racked up an absurd 27 total pressures in three playoff games, including 12 in a Super Bowl loss to Kansas City. He is one of the best all-around players in the game — at any position.

Nick Bosa since 2021 | including playoffs:

– Only defender with 300+ pressures
– 90+ pass rushing grade in each season

No. 7 on the PFF50: https://t.co/3XQSrKGgHE pic.twitter.com/mq399qH9qw

— PFF (@PFF) July 19, 2024

No. 9: LB Fred Warner (Last Year: 14)

From PFF:

Playing linebacker in today’s NFL has become increasingly difficult, and very few players do it consistently well. Fred Warner continually remains atop the PFF rankings with elite grades despite those challenges. Last season, he notched a 90.3 PFF overall grade, grading well in every facet of play despite an unusual uptick in missed tackles to 28 over his 20-game season. Warner is the gold standard at a challenging position.

Fred Warner: The most valuable LB in 2023, per PFF WAR

No. 9 on the PFF50: https://t.co/3XQSrKFIS6 pic.twitter.com/HMENS8TGvM

— PFF (@PFF) July 19, 2024

No. 10: RB Christian McCaffrey (Last Year: 44)

From PFF:

The most complete back in football, Christian McCaffrey remains the all-purpose yardage monster in the NFL that he was in college at Stanford. Sadly, the 49ers don’t let McCaffrey return kicks the way he did in college, but CMC racked up 2,443 all-purpose yards across 20 games last season, including the Super Bowl run. He broke 86 tackles and dropped only one pass.

Christian McCaffrey since joining the 49ers:

– 680 touches
– 3,952 total yards
– 40 TDs

No. 10 on the PFF50: https://t.co/3XQSrKGgHE pic.twitter.com/Fo7xD1wG54

— PFF (@PFF) July 19, 2024

No. 19: TE George Kittle (Last Year: 39)

From PFF:

In a different offense, George Kittle would be unquestionably viewed as one of the most devastating players in the game. San Francisco has so many mouths to feed, however, that we only get glimpses of what he could do if he was given a high-volume workload. Eight different tight ends saw more targets than Kittle last season, including two rookies, but Kittle led the position in yards per route run (2.22) and averaged two full yards per reception more than any other tight end.

The highest-graded TE in 2023

George Kittle – 88.4 ⛏️

The 50 best players in the NFL: https://t.co/3XQSrKFIS6 pic.twitter.com/7m7kCCKngP

— PFF (@PFF) July 18, 2024

No. 49: WR Brandon Aiyuk (Last Year: NR)

From PFF:

Brandon Aiyuk doesn’t get the volume of targets that other elite receivers do, but it’s because there are so many mouths to feed in Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense. Aiyuk is one of the most efficient receivers in football on the targets he does receive. Only Tyreek Hill earned a higher PFF grade among wideouts than Aiyuk last season, and he averaged 3.01 yards per route run, dropping only two of the 101 targets sent his way.

Brandon Aiyuk = route running aficionado 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LZwG14PgBA

— NFL (@NFL) May 29, 2024

No. 50: Deebo Samuel (Last Year: 50)

From PFF:

Deebo Samuel is a unique offensive weapon for the 49ers. He is a very good wide receiver, but his ability to move into the backfield and carry the ball like a running back — and a very good one — is what makes him special. On 80 fewer targets than Tyreek Hill, Samuel forced only one fewer missed tackle as a receiver, and he added 19 more as a rusher. Samuel’s impact on San Francisco’s offense is clear to see when he doesn’t suit up. He is an elite force, even if his true position is difficult to define.