The NFL season is almost here. You know what that means. It’s fantasy football time. Which players should you draft? Who should you stay from? All 32 teams have guys you need to target for your team this upcoming season. So, we’ll cover all of them before the start of the season. Up first are the San Francisco 49ers.

*statistics from ESPN*

Players You Need To Target

RB Christian McCaffrey (projection: 387.5 fantasy points)

Not much explanation is needed here. Arguably the best running back in the league, McCaffrey put up a league-leading 1,459 rushing yards and 564 receiving yards in 2023. Add in his 67 receptions, and those in PPR leagues will be targeting him early and often in their drafts. It helps he’s remained healthy for the entire year last year. Still 28 years old, it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down. He will be the first running back off the board, let alone the entire draft.

WR Brandon Aiyuk (projection: 221.8 FPs)

Assuming he remains with the 49ers, Aiyuk will serve as the team’s primary target once again. With Deebo Samuel no longer the de facto WR1, the former Arizona State product shined last season. He led the team in targets (105), catches (75), receiving yards (1,342), and tied for first in receiving touchdowns (7). All of this was good enough to finish as WR14 in ESPN fantasy rankings. There’s no doubt he can crack the top ten this season. It’s a matter of which team he’ll play for this season. For now, I’ll base my thoughts on him staying in Santa Clara.

QB Brock Purdy (projection: 258.8 FPs)

With all of the weapons around him, it’s no surprise Purdy finished as the QB6 last year. But, he deserves a lot of credit. Mr. Irrelvant was arguably the best deep ball thrower in the league last year, all while completing nearly 70% of his passes. He was fifth in passing yards (4,280) and third in touchdowns (31). All of this led him to put up 295.6 fantasy points in 2023. Purdy may not be an electric fantasy quarterback like Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. But, he is a consistent, solid starter to have as your QB1 if you don’t get any of the big names.

Players To Stay Away From

WR Deebo Samuel (projection: 220.34 FPs)

Sure, he finished as WR15 last year. But, it’s the boom-or-bust factor that scares me about Samuel. We need consistency from our players, with our patience tested when our players begin to show multiple weeks of single-point performances.

His fantasy production is so touchdown-dependent. Take weeks 15-18 for example. He finished below 50 receiving yards in every single one of those games. But, he still put up at least 18 fantasy points in two of the four games (two touchdowns against Arizona in week 15 and one against Washington in week 17).

Christian McCaffrey continues to be the team’s best weapon in both the rushing and receiving game. The days of seeing Samuel line up in the backfield aren’t as much as we were accustomed to before McCaffrey’s arrival. In 2021, we saw Samuel have 1,770 scrimmage yards as he was all over the field and producing no matter the role. He hasn’t been at that level since.

Yes, he did have 892 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last year. But, his rushing production will decline in my opinion because of the presence of McCaffrey still and the depth at running back the team has (Elijah Mitchell, rookie Isaac Guerendo).

Now, I could look like a complete fool and have to go back on this statement if Brandon Aiyuk gets traded. If this happens, Samuel would slot back into the WR1 role. But, considering he is a WR2 and will be challenged by the aforementioned Aiyuk, TE George Kittle, and rookie WRs Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, I just don’t feel confident taking Samuel as high as many would. Add in his durability issues (has struggled to stay healthy in the past) and I am staying away from him.

One Rookie To Keep An Eye On

WR Ricky Pearsall (projection: 87.63 FPs)

The former Gator product was a surprising first-round selection. But, the 49ers fell in love with him, and for good reason. His numbers at the combine were impressive (4.41 40-yard dash, 42″ vertical jump), and was a dependable slot weapon with solid hands back at Florida.

Leading the team with 65 catches for 965 yards in 2023, he joins a 49ers team that has their top three receivers set in Samuel, Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings. But, his savviness running routes along with his dependability may help him see the field earlier than usual. If an injury occurs or if Aiyuk gets traded, Pearsall is worth a draft pick on. I recommend him as a late-round stash.

Thank you for reading! We have a lot more fantasy content for you in store, so make sure to check back soon for more team breakdowns in the coming days and weeks! Visit us at Belly Up Fantasy Sports so you don’t miss out! Also, check out me and my co-host Brian Germinaro on the Third and Ten Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts!

Featured Image: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images