Several Factors Working in Brock Purdy's Favor To Be a Top-10 QB Again

Injuries derailed the 49ers' season last year, with the most impactful absence being that of Christian McCaffrey, who appeared in just four games. With him missing so much time, even more pressure was put on Brock Purdy to produce. However, the results weren’t exactly great. Heading into this season, Purdy will need healthier campaigns from the skill players around him to reach his full fantasy football potential.

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Decline In Touchdowns

The 2023 season was Purdy’s first full campaign as a starter. He burst onto the fantasy scene by throwing for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns. He was no stranger to throwing the deep ball, posting 9.6 yards per pass attempt. The 49ers had an excellent offense, in general, averaging 28.9 points per game. That was the third-highest mark in the NFL.

With injuries hitting the 49ers hard last season, they only averaged 22.9 points per game. Purdy still averaged 8.5 yards per pass attempt, but the lack of weapons around him limited him to 3,864 yards and 20 passing touchdowns. He did chip in five rushing touchdowns, which was up from two the previous season. With McCaffrey missing most of the season, Purdy received 10 rushing attempts inside the 10-yard line, a major increase from 2023, when he only had three of them.

Youth Movement At Wide Receiver

The 49ers have moved on from franchise stalwart Deebo Samuel, who they traded to the Commanders during the offseason. Injuries and poor performance plagued Samuel last season, and the 49ers have already heavily invested at the wide receiver position, both in terms of their cap and in terms of draft capital.

Brandon Aiyuk had back-to-back seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards before being limited to just seven games last season. He continues to work his way back from a torn ACL and MCL and might not be ready for the start of the season. He has already been placed on the active/PUP list in training camp. When healthy, he is now the undisputed top wide receiver for the 49ers.

The 49ers have two other promising young receivers in Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall. Jennings just turned 27 years old and is coming off a career campaign in which he caught 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns. Pearsall missed the start of his rookie season because he was shot in the chest. It took him some time to adjust when he finally made it onto the field, but he showed his upside, including in Week 17 when he had eight receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown against the Lions.

Even if Aiyuk misses the start of the season, the 49ers have talented options at wide receiver, not to mention All-Pro TE George Kittle, who had 1,106 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season. Combine all of them with a healthy McCaffrey, and Purdy won’t be short on offensive weapons that can help him provide a bounce-back season in fantasy. According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, Purdy has an ADP of 97. He is being drafted as QB10 between Kyler Murray (ADP 84, QB9) and Justin Fields (ADP 98, QB11),

Strength Of Schedule

The 49ers went 6-11 last season, landing them in last place in the NFC West, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as they now have a last-place team strength of schedule this season. According to 4for4’s Hot Spots: Team Level Strength of Schedule, the 49ers have the fifth-easiest strength of schedule this season.

Their schedule includes just one opponent that is classified as very strong, which is the Bears in Week 17. They also have just one moderately strong opponent, which is the Giants in Week 9. Last season showed how injuries can quickly derail an offense, but Purdy is in a position to jump back into the top 10 at the quarterback position in fantasy football this year.

The Bottom Line

• Injuries to McCaffrey and other skill players on the 49ers saw Brock Purdy take a step back last season, especially in terms of passing touchdowns.
• The 49ers traded Samuel during the offseason, but they still have plenty of talent at wide receiver in Aiyuk, Jennings, and Pearsall.
• While Aiyuk is still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, McCaffrey and Kittle enter training camp healthy.
• According to 4for4’s Hot Spots: Team Level Strength of Schedule, the 49ers have the fifth-easiest strength of schedule this season.
• According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, Purdy has an ADP of 97, which makes him QB10. The combination of a favorable schedule and potentially improved health for the 49ers’ skill players leaves Purdy primed to rebound and move back into the top-10 quarterbacks in fantasy football.