The 49ers offense is top 10 in the league in yards per game, and top 3 in points per game at the halfway mark of the season. It continues to be supported by the second-best rushing attack in the league, and a quarterback who’s been able to convert third downs and make big plays when they need them.
Here are the grades for each position group through the halfway point of the season:
Quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo was teetering on the dreaded “game-manager” title before his Week 9 performance against the Cardinals. He hasn’t had to do much this season at quarterback with the success of the run game, but his four-touchdown performance in Arizona showed he can go out and win with his arm. He now has just under a two-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio and averages 225 passing yards per game. His third-down passing has been superb, and it’s clear Kyle Shanahan’s trust in Garoppolo to drop back and . make plays is growing.
Grade: A
Running backs
The running back corps has slowed down the past four games, but a dip felt inevitable after their monster production the first quarter of the season. The group rushed for 232 yards against Carolina behind Tevin Coleman’s four-touchdown day. Coleman, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert are all averaging more than 4.0 yards per carry with Mostert leading the bunch at 5.6. While there was a slight step back in production, the running backs are the most important group of the offense. If they can get back to dominating with fullback Kyle Juszczyk and starting tackles Mike McGlinchey and Joe Staley back healthy, they could lead San Francisco to a deep playoff run.
Grade: A
Wide receivers
Emmanuel Sanders has really picked this group up since his arrival prior to Week 8. He has 11 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns in his two games with the 49ers. He’s quickly become the No. 1 receiver the 49ers have been searching for all season, and he’s quickly become Garoppolo’s favorite target. Dante Pettis has still been a disappointment this season, earning fewer than three targets per game, and Marquise Goodwin hasn’t been available the past two weeks for personal reasons. Rookie Deebo Samuel has had an up-and-down start to his career. Third-year receiver Kendrick Bourne has found a nice niche as a fourth receiver, and second-year seventh-round pick Richie James Jr. is still trying to carve out a bigger role on the offense. There’s another level this group can get to, and the 49ers’ offense is going to need them to do that if they’re going to get back to the Super Bowl.
Grade: B-
Tight ends
Even with the addition of Sanders, George Kittle remains Garoppolo’s top target. Kittle leads the teams in targets (57), receptions (46), and receiving yards (541) by a wide margin. He remains the most important weapon in Kyle Shanahan’s offense thanks to his elite pass catching and run blocking skill sets. Ross Dwelley played an important role as the fill-in fullback with Juszczyk injured, and played well in that spot.
Grade: A-
Offensive line
They’ve been maybe the most impressive position group on the offense considering the amount of injuries they’ve dealt with. Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey have missed most of the season, and Justin Skule and Daniel Brunskill both stepped up in their NFL debuts without missing a beat. The interior trio of Laken Tomlinson, Mike Person and Weston Richburg has also been much more consistent now that they’re all healthy this year. Garoppolo has been sacked just 12 times this season, which is tied for the fourth-fewest allowed. The running game has been slightly less productive, but still impressive, averaging the second-most yards per game behind the line.
