49ers Ranking Reveals Key Factor in Return to Contention

The Super Bowl hangover - although they were the losing team in the big game - was a sloppy one for the San Francisco 49ers last season.

After three consecutive winning seasons and an appearance in Super Bowl LVII in 2023, the Niners sputtered to a 6-11 record in 2024, which included a stretch of losing seven of their last eight games to fall to the bottom of the NFC West and miss the playoffs entirely.

This offseason has undergone a lot of change, but the 49ers are thankful to bring back the majority of their offensive production from last season and foster optimism that health will be more on their side this season than last.

Sports Illustrated's ranking of the best trios in the NFL confirm that, when healthy, the 49ers still have a lethal offense that can make them a contender in 2025.

The trifecta of quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle were ranked as the seventh best trio in the league. They were slotted just in front of the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs and behind the young core of the Houston Texans.

"If San Francisco can stay healthy, expect its offense to return to top-end form. Purdy has a new contract and is hoping to bounce back from a relatively down year, going for 3,864 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 15 games. McCaffrey is also trying to rebound after playing in just four games, while Kittle is coming off a fantastic campaign of 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns."

Purdy dealt with some arm injuries toward the end of the season, but was able to lead the passing game fairly well throughout the year. He now enters 2025 as the highest-paid player in franchise history with a pressure of $265 million weighing on his young shoulders.

The tight end Kittle finished as the team's leading receiver in one of his best seasons this deep into his career. He was also awarded with the highest-priced tight end contract in the NFL for those efforts. San Francisco has no room for any type of drop off from what Kittle did last season.

Jauan Jennings, with 975 yards, emerged as the next best receiver after Brandon Aiyuk was sidelined for 10 games. With the departure of Deebo Samuel Sr., the pass game may turn even more to Kittle and Jennings until Aiyuk can return from a torn ACL.

The run game is where San Francisco is hoping to see the largest resurgence.

Fresh off an Offensive Player of the Year campaign in 2023, Christian McCaffrey's frightening career-long trend of injuries once again reared its ugly head. He only played in four games last season due to Achilles and knee issues.

If McCaffrey can return to the level he began his San Francisco career at, the Niners run-game will see a massive improvement to let pressure off of Purdy and the passing attack.

San Francisco is a sure-fire top-5 rushing team when McCaffrey is leading the way. Without him, they might struggle to be in the top half of the league. This balance to the offense is vital.

All in all, a losing season means a longer offseason, which should bode well for this banged up roster. Head coach Kyle Shanahan believes so and doesn't expect the team to suffer another disappointing season like 2024.

“I just told the guys, I talked about how the [2023] season ended the year before, and how when I felt them all come back. I felt guys weren’t ready to come back and I understood that," Shanahan said.

“But I told them how I really won’t understand it this year, not that that was right or wrong, but I couldn’t comprehend it."

Injuries are out of their control, but they may still be a large factor in determining San Francisco's season.

As long as their bodies are rested, healthy and prepared, the 49ers have all the tools necessary to contend for a Super Bowl again.