In a san-francisco-49ers season shadowed by injuries across both lines, the emphasis shifts to the next-man-up cadre and Brock Purdy’s leadership as the anchor. The defense has absorbed more hits than expected, with young corners and safeties stepping into pivotal roles while veterans nurse nagging injuries. Offensively, the WR corps is banged up, forcing a rotation that may hinge on Purdy’s efficiency, CMC’s gravity in the run-pass game, and George Kittle’s window-raising impact. Fantasy managers should be mindful of how SF’s depth charts adapt—and which backups emerge as real Week 1 value.

Purdy’s resilience becomes the central fantasy narrative: a quarterback who thrived through adversity last season now must navigate limited weapons and a reshuffled target tree. CMC and Kittle remain pillar players, with Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowan representing potential breakouts in the slot or depth roles if injuries linger. Jeff Wilson Jr. provides veteran steadiness behind CMC, while Brandon Aiyuk’s eventual return could unlock more explosive plays. In dynasty/DFS, stacking Purdy with Kittle or Watkins could yield efficient, lower-variance upside as SF manages through nagging injuries early.