Eric Williams
NFC West Author
Driving a four-game successful streak and coming off a blowout of the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers appear like the Tremendous Bowl favourite as they put together to host the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app). The 49ers have so many influence gamers, it is exhausting to single out a group MVP.
“I nonetheless pinch myself,” Professional Bowl tight finish George Kittle mentioned about all of the proficient gamers on the roster. “I used to be really within the sizzling tub with Christian [McCaffrey] and Chase Younger. And I used to be like, ‘That is wild.’ Completely loopy.”
Added edge rusher Nick Bosa: “No person must be the man. There’s 20 guys who will be the man, and it simply depends upon when the second comes and that you simply’re prepared for it.”
However when that second comes, who could not the group dwell with out? Bearing in mind positional significance, manufacturing, game-changing skill and their total influence, we rank the highest 5 MVP candidates on a roster suffering from expertise. To construct the suspense, let’s begin at No. 5.
5. Edge Nick Bosa
The reigning Defensive Participant of the Yr, Bosa led the league final season with 18.5 sacks. He was handsomely rewarded proper earlier than the beginning of this season, receiving a multi-year deal that made him the best paid non-quarterback within the NFL.
Bosa hasn’t put up the sack numbers he had final 12 months, however he has began to warmth up throughout the second half of the season — when the video games matter most. Over San Francisco’s four-game win streak, Bosa leads the league in quarterback pressures (30) and is second in sacks (5). He’s third within the league in quarterback pressures (71) and has eight sacks on the 12 months.
Extra importantly, he is the No. 1 matchup drawback on a proficient defensive position that enables the 49ers to regulate the road of scrimmage and units the desk for the remainder of the unit. San Francisco permits 15.8 factors per sport, No. 2 within the NFL.
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4. LT Trent Williams
Like Bosa does for the protection, the 35-year-old Williams units the tone offensively up entrance for San Francisco. Simply take a look at the numbers.
Based on Subsequent Gen Stats, the 49ers have rushed for a league-high 983 yards operating to the left facet, the place Williams does his work. Plus, per Professional Soccer Focus, the All-Professional left sort out has not allowed a sack this season.
There is a cause San Francisco’s three-game shedding streak coincided with Williams being out with an ankle harm — he makes issues occur up entrance for the offense.
3. RB Christian McCaffrey
The Stanford product tops the NFL this season with 1,032 dashing yards and 12 dashing touchdowns. McCaffrey’s 17 complete touchdowns are tied for second in franchise historical past. Based on Professional Soccer Focus, he has pressured 48 missed tackles, probably the most on the operating again place this season.
McCaffrey shortly developed into the engine of the Niners offense after San Francisco acquired him from the Carolina Panthers at midseason final 12 months. This season, he’s worthy of league MVP consideration, together with the No. 1 participant on this record.
“I do know it goes to quarterbacks the vast majority of the time, and there is loads of worthy quarterbacks,” coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned. “However you positively cannot say that Christian’s behind anybody. He is as worthwhile on this league as anybody.”
One of many keys for McCaffrey this season has been his availability. After struggling to remain wholesome throughout his time in Carolina, he has performed 80.6% of the offensive snaps this 12 months, first amongst operating backs.
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2. WR Deebo Samuel
Sure, he has missed time with a shoulder harm and has solely 750 scrimmage yards with seven touchdowns. However when Samuel is wholesome and taking part in with swagger, San Francisco’s offense is totally different.
Simply take a look at Samuel’s three touchdowns and 138 scrimmage yards within the huge win over the Eagles. He talked trash main as much as the sport and backed it up on the sector, giving San Francisco an added edge. And Samuel’s skill to attain from anyplace on the sector makes the 49ers some of the harmful offenses within the NFL.
If Samuel can get again to taking part in like he did throughout his All-Professional season of 2021, when he completed with 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns, San Francisco might be Tremendous Bowl-bound. His explosive playmaking skill makes the 49ers exhausting to beat.
However Shanahan should preserve the oft-injured “wide-back” out of the coaching room for the remainder of the common season and wholesome when the playoffs begin. And that possible means limiting his touches over the subsequent 5 video games.
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1. QB Brock Purdy
Some NFL observers understandably attribute Purdy’s success to Shanahan’s quarterback-friendly offense, nevertheless it’s exhausting to disclaim the second-year QB’s manufacturing and talent to make performs in crucial and significant moments this season.
In reality, Purdy deserves to be a part of the league MVP dialog. He leads the league in passer score (116.1), completion proportion (70.2%) and yards per go try (9.6). He is No. 4 within the NFL in landing passes (23).
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Purdy has put to relaxation the concept that he is only a system quarterback, and he has confirmed that his rookie 12 months wasn’t a fluke. Much more spectacular, he has completed this manufacturing coming off main elbow surgical procedure.
“Brock is simply so constant daily,” Kittle mentioned earlier this season. “He is the identical man on Wednesday as he’s on Sunday. He is tremendous detailed. He is tremendous assured. It is all the pieces you need in a quarterback, and he is simply taking part in at such a excessive degree proper now.”
Honorable point out: Brandon Aiyuk, Fred Warner, George Kittle, Dre Greenlaw, Javon Hargrave
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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