Where eight 49ers stars rank on ESPN’s list of top-100 NFL players

Where eight 49ers stars rank on ESPN’s list of top-100 NFL players originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With the 2024 NFL season nearing, ESPN has released its rankings for the top 100 players, and the 49ers boast a league-leading eight entries.

San Francisco stars Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey all made the list. All eight players also made the NFL’s top 100 list, as voted on by players, though Dre Greenlaw did not make both lists. Greenlaw was ranked No. 76 on the NFL’s list and is unranked on ESPN’s.

Here’s what ESPN’s rankings and season projections look like.

Deebo Samuel — No. 66

2024 projection: 62 receptions, 923 yards, 6 TDs

One of the most versatile and polarizing players in the league, Samuel is poised for another strong season as the do-it-all guy on offense. Between his rushing and receiving abilities, Samuel is the perfect player for 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s motion-heavy offense.

While NFL had the 28-year-old as the No. 30 player in the league, ESPN seems to disagree. Durability concerns and San Francisco’s myriad of playmakers could cap Samuel’s offensive output, but he’s a big-play threat every time he touches the ball.

Brandon Aiyuk — No. 33

2024 projection: 75 receptions, 1,067 yards, 7 TDs

Despite a protracted training camp holdout, Aiyuk remains the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Brock Purdy.

The 26-year-old is coming off his best season, and ESPN believes he will be one of the best receivers in the league. While the NFL had him at No. 66, he has halved that here. Given his 17.9 yards per reception in 2023, second-most in the league, it’s likely that Aiyuk continues his upward momentum.

Brock Purdy — No. 30

2024 projection: 3,909 yards, 24 TDs, 11 INTs (173 yards/2 TDs rushing)

Now entering his third year behind center, Purdy is expected to be one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. ESPN and the NFL differ slightly in ranking, with…

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Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-08-27 23:29:34

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