Two 49ers named among NFL's most underrated players

Pro Football and Sports Network's (PFSN) Jacob Infante highlighted 12 of the NFL's most underrated players from the 2025 season, and the list included two San Francisco 49ers contributors.

Infante utilized PFSN's Impact Scoring metric, which assigns a numerical value to measure each player's annual efficiency. That metric spotlighted two 49ers standouts: quarterback Brock Purdy and offensive tackle Colton McKivitz.

Infante noted that Purdy led the NFL in PFSN QB Impact Scoring last season, an impressive accomplishment for a player whose critics often attribute his success to head coach Kyle Shanahan's offensive system rather than his individual ability.

"When he was healthy, he was incredible in 2025," Infante wrote. "He placed in the top six in completion percentage, passing yards per game, net YPA, percentage of throws resulting in a touchdown, and lowest sack percentage. Purdy also led the NFL with a 57.1% third-down conversion rate, making him one of only two quarterbacks to reach 50%."

A turf toe injury shortened Purdy's 2025 campaign, but he still started nine games and helped lead the 49ers to a playoff berth. He finished the season completing 69.4% of his passes for 2,167 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

For McKivitz, the 2025 season marked arguably the strongest performance of his career, especially for a player who has often received mixed evaluations from the fan base.

While he was not dominant in pass protection, McKivitz earned a solid 72.6 grade in that area from Pro Football Focus. His career-best 84.2 overall offensive grade and 90.4 run-blocking grade are notable improvements from his 2024 marks of 72.2 and 68.6, respectively.

Infante credited much of the 49ers' offensive success to McKivitz's continued development.

"The 49ers ranked fourth in the NFL in PFSN Offense Impact Scoring, so it's no surprise to see an anchor of their offense like Colton McKivitz grading well," Infante wrote. "In particular, Christian McCaffrey averaged 5.0 yards per carry running behind McKivitz in 2025. He only averaged 3.9 yards per carry for the whole season, which speaks to how well McKivitz blocked. He ended up with the second-highest PFSN OL Impact Score among all NFL tackles at 91.4."

If both players continue on their current trajectory, they could take on even larger roles in the 49ers' push for success in 2026.