The 49ers in the Kyle Shanahan era have always had the identity of having amongst the premier if not the premier grouping of skill position players out of any team in the NFL. Here I will go into detail assessing the skill position players that the team possesses heading into the 206 season.
Beginning with the running back unit of the team the 49ers are led by future hall of famer Christian McCaffrey who has shown some decline having just turned thirty years old but is still among the premier backs in the NFL. For two straight seasons now, McCaffrey has graded in the above average but not in the elite range in terms of an overall offense grade according to Pro Football Focus among players at his position. In those two seasons, Pro Football Focus has actually graded him as a below average runner of the football and during the 2025 season he was actually graded as amongst the worst runners of the football. However, over the past two seasons McCaffrey has struggled with his health and last season he was fed the ball at an abnormally high rate which perhaps led to a drop off in efficiency and the poor run grade he was given. McCaffrey this past season was graded as the best overall receiver at the running back spot as well perhaps indicating that there has not been a drop off to his level of play. McCaffrey despite the drop off in how Pro Football Focus assessed him in 2025, still garnered a first team all-pro selection and is perhaps still in his prime where he was amongst the best running backs ever.
The 49ers have a lot of depth at the running back spot as well as they have three other players who are highly capable and the unit is one of the deepest in the sport. The 49ers drafted national title winning running back Kaelon Black in the third round of the 2026 draft who is currently listed as third on the depth chart. Listed on fourth on the depth chart is 2024 fourth rounder Isaac Guerendo who had a strong rookie season in 2024 but did not see the field in 2025. Guerendo averaged 5.0 rush yards per attempt in 2024 on over 400 rushing yards as a rookie. Given his solid rookie season and his relatively high draft status, Guerendo could come into his own this upcoming season and emerge as one of the premier reserve backs in the NFL. Guerendo is currently listed as fourth on the 49ers’ running back depth chart which goes to show you the depth that San Francisco has at the position and Guerendo is likely the best #4 back in the NFL as of now. Listed second on the 49ers’ running back depth chart is 2025 5th rounder Jordan James who did not play as a rookie. Despite not having logged any NFL snaps as of now James is still second on the depth chart and the 49ers coaching staff views him as better than Black and Guerendo which is saying a lot, so it will be interesting to see how James looks if/when he sees the field. The 49ers running back room is arguably the best in the sport as of now.
At the tight end spot the team is perhaps equally as strong also led by a future hall of famer and another young reserve player. Tight end George Kittle is likely if not definitively the best tight end in the sport and was still graded as the best overall tight end in the sport last season despite turning 32 years old. Kittle along with the likes of Myles Garrett is in the discussion for being the best player in the NFL and Kittle is amongst the greatest tight ends in NFL history. However, Kittle suffered a torn achilles tendon in the playoffs, is now approaching his mid 30s, and his tight ends coach over the past four seasons has since departed the team to become the offensive coordinator of the Seahawks. Although Kittle will still be elite, I imagine that with all those factors that this could be the last year of his peak and we could start to see a drop off with him. Tight end Jake Tonges has emerged as a strong supplementary option to Kittle in the unit and played very well when called upon last season. Tonges in 2025, which was his first season taking extended snaps, ranked (11/47) in terms of an overall offense grade among all qualified players at his position. Tonges was well above average in his essential rookie season and is only in line to improve going forward. Tonges is a starting caliber player who is currently in a reserve role and could be among the premier reserve tight ends in the NFL going forward.
At wide receiver the 49ers have retooled this offseason adding multiple noteworthy names. Future hall of famer and long-time Buccaneer Mike Evans was acquired this offseason and is currently listed as #1 on the depth chart. Evans is set to play next season at 33 years old and already saw a drop off last season. However, Evans missed substantial time due to injury last season, the Bucs were not well coached on offense last season, and Evans still was above average. In the season prior, Evans seemed to be right in his prime form having the first- or second-best season of his career ranking as one of the best wide outs in the sport accumulating over 1000 yards despite being over 30. Evans could very well return to that form now that he is placed in elite offensive circumstances with the 49ers. It will be interesting to see how Mike Evans looks with this Kyle Shanahan led offense.
2024 first round pick Ricky Pearsall is currently listed as the #2 wide out on the 49ers’ roster as of now and could prove to be a very strong option. Pearsall has struggled with his health thus far in his NFL career and has yet had the chance to come into his own as a result. Pearsall looked decent as a rookie in 11 games and was consistently above average in year 2 in 9 games. Given Pearsall’s high draft standing and his strong play for stretches in limited time in the NFL thus far, he will be in line to breakout as a star next season.
The 49ers also acquired veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk this offseason to bolster the unit, and he is currently listed as the WR3 in the slot role. Kirk, the former 2nd rounder, has shown some promise in his career but has lacked consistency. In eight seasons in the NFL Kirk has graded above average four times and below average four times. Kirk, being such a high draft pick who is turning 30 next season has talent but is too erratic. However, Kirk has spent the entirety of his career in subpar offensive circumstances and has often been forced into a WR1 or WR2 role. Now that Kirk is with the 49ers whose offensive circumstances rank up there with any team in the sport and he will be allowed to transition to a WR3 role, we could see Kirk thrive.
Outside of the three primary wide receivers for the 49ers, the team has some more talent in the unit from a depth standpoint that could loom large. The 49ers drafted wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick of the second round in the 2026 draft. If Stribling can play to near his potential as a rookie, the 49ers will have among the premier reserve wide outs in the NFL next season. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is still on the team but questions about his future with San Francisco loom as of now. Aiyuk at his peak was among the premier wide outs in the sport and is consistently among the better wide receivers in the NFL. However, injuries and question marks about his willingness to stay with the 49ers have persisted. However, he is still on the team as of now and if he were to return to the team, he will be a very strong option and likely the #1 or #2 wide receiver on the depth chart. The 49ers also have a few other names who have shown promise in the NFL thus far and could bolster the wide receiver room further. The 49ers’ wide receiver room is arguably the best in the sport as although they do not have quite the high-end talent of teams like the Bengals and Rams, they are not too far off and the depth that the 49ers have in the unit is remarkable as well.
The skill position talent that the 49ers have heading into the 2026 season is arguably the best in the whole NFL and a breakdown of the notable players that comprise the skill positions for San Francisco can be found below.
HB1 – Christian McCaffrey – A to A-
HB2 – Jordan James – 2025 5th rounder yet to play
HB3 – Kaelon Black – 2026 3rd rounder
HB4 – Issaac Guerendo – C+ to B- as rookie in 2024, DNP in ’25, could breakout in year 3
TE1 – George Kittle – A to A+
TE2 – Jake Tonges – B to B+ in limited snaps in essential rookie season in ’25
WR1 – Mike Evans – A-
WR2 – Ricky Pearsall – 2024 1st rounder, C+ to B- in limited NFL action thus far, could break out in year 3
WR3 – Christian Kirk – C+ to B-, inconsistent but still talented, could come into his own now placed in ideal offensive circumstances
WR4 – De’Zhaun Stribling – 2026 2nd round pick
WR5 – Brandon Aiyuk – B+ to A-, future status with team unknown
WR6 – Malik Turner – looked elite in limited snaps once
WR7 – Jordan Watkins – 2025 4th rounder, looked decent as rookie
WR8 – Jacob Cowing – 2024 4th rounder, looked decent as rookie, DNP in ’25
