2024 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: San Francisco 49ers player outlooks, schedule, depth chart and more to know

The 49ers showcased their offensive prowess, finishing top five in total offense, passing yards per game, rushing yards per game and total points scored. Additionally, four players recorded over 1,000 scrimmage yards, which was a league first. Despite a narrow 34-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, they retain the majority of their core starters, setting the stage for another deep playoff run.  

Below the CBS Sports Fantasy staff will take a look into the 49ers' entire team outlook including changes to the top of the depth chart that matter for Fantasy, a burning question for Fantasy Football managers that needs to be answered, a review of their draft class, strength of schedule, and individual player outlooks for all of the notable 49ers players who may end up on your Fantasy rosters.

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49ers 2024 lineup changes

Burning question: How much more does Christian McCaffrey have in the tank?

Christian McCaffrey's versatility earned him the Offensive Player of the Year award last season, amassing 1,459 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, along with 564 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His ability to excel as a receiver sets him apart. This much was evident in 2019 when he became one of three running backs in NFL history with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a single season. However, at 28 years old and entering the 2024 NFL season, age is a factor. In addition to McCaffrey, San Francisco's running back room consists of Elijah Mitchell and this year's fourth-round draft pick Isaac Guerendo. Both running backs are known for their game-breaking speed, and the 49ers would be wise to put more on their plate to preserve McCaffrey until the back half of the regular season.  

2024 NFL Draft class

49ers 2024 schedule

49ers 2024 player outlooks

By Dave Richard and CBS Fantasy staff

QB Brock Purdy

Easily one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league, Purdy has solidified himself as a top-12 Fantasy QB thanks to averaging over 20 Fantasy points (six points per passing TD) in each of his first two seasons. In fact he's hit that 20-point mark in nearly 70% of his regular-season games. It's not because of volume -- Purdy averaged 27.8 passes per game last year, putting him 22nd among 23 qualifiers in the stat. It's what he does with the ball: Purdy was first among qualifying passers in yards per attempt (9.6), second in TD rate (7.0%) and second in completion rate (69.4%). In fact if he threw more passes more often, he'd challenge to be among the best quarterbacks in Fantasy. As it stands, he's consistent with a high ceiling in any matchup with high scoring potential. That's why he's a top Fantasy option once you're past all the QBs in the first two tiers. In fact, he's a value in one-QB leagues because you'll draft him after 100th overall. In Superflex/two-QB leagues he'll be taken in Round 2 as approximately the 10th quarterback off the board.  

QB Joshua Dobbs

Dobbs took Fantasy managers on a wild ride in 2023 with two teams. It began in Arizona where Dobbs started for the injured Kyler Murray, and he scored at least 19.1 Fantasy points in four of eight games. Then he went to Minnesota as a replacement for Kirk Cousins, and Dobbs scored at least 18.9 Fantasy points in three games in a row before eventually being replaced by Nick Mullens. Dobbs was very helpful for Fantasy managers at times, mostly because of his rushing prowess (77 carries for 421 yards and six touchdowns), and now he's a backup in San Francisco behind Brock Purdy. If Purdy gets injured then Dobbs could be a popular waiver-wire option, but don't plan to draft Dobbs in the majority of leagues this season.  

RB Christian McCaffrey

The consensus No. 1 overall pick in one-QB formats remains McCaffrey, who has averaged at least 21 PPR points in each of his past two seasons. In fact, of the 27 regular-season games McCaffrey played in with the 49ers, he's hit at least 21 PPR points 17 times (63% of his games) and at least 30 PPR points five times (nearly 20% of his games). If there's a worry, it's that McCaffrey is 28 years old and coming off of a 417-touch season including the playoffs. The previous time McCaffrey had over 400 touches in a year was 2019, and he followed it up with two injury-plagued seasons. The 417 touches were also his most in a season ever. The best way to safeguard your investment in McCaffrey would be to add his backup, presumably Elijah Mitchell, with a pick in Round 9 or later.

RB Elijah Mitchell

If Mitchell remains the primary backup behind Christian McCaffrey, he's among the best "lottery ticket" running backs you could draft in Round 9 or later. That's because Mitchell would be primed for a large role in a brilliant offense whenever McCaffrey misses playing time. Keep his name in mind when building your bench late.

RB Isaac Guerendo

Every year the 49ers add a rookie running back and every year Fantasy managers swoon over the pick. It's Guerendo this year, a part-time back from Louisville with good cutting skills and solid size and power to match. He ran a 4.33 in his 40-yard dash, but he's also beginning his NFL career at age 24, making him an older rookie who might not have a long shelf life. If he impresses this preseason then he could end up catapulting to the second string in San Francisco's offense, which would make him a prized pick in the late rounds. Short of that he wouldn't be worth drafting in seasonal leagues but does make the cut as an intriguing second- or third-round choice in rookie-only drafts since he could be McCaffrey's backup as soon as 2025.

RB Patrick Taylor

Taylor signed with the 49ers this offseason, and we'll see if he can play a role in a crowded backfield this year. Taylor is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. San Francisco has Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell and rookie Isaac Guerendo ahead of Taylor on the depth chart, and he also has to contend with Jordan Mason as well. At best, Taylor could move up to the No. 2 spot, but he would need a McCaffrey injury to be Fantasy relevant in most formats. If that scenario unfolds then just add Taylor off the waiver wire.

RB Cody Schrader

The 49ers added Schrader as an undrafted free agent, giving them more depth at running back. Schrader was a stat machine at Truman State in 2021 before transferring to Missouri and leading the team in rushing for two years while also flashing some nice hands in the passing game. He's a good-sized back with experience in the zone-run scheme the 49ers use, but he's not a burner (4.61 in the 40-yard dash) and he'll also be 25 years old as a rookie. Schrader doesn't figure to be in the draft plans in seasonal leagues but could be worth a late-round flier in rookie-only drafts.  

WR Brandon Aiyuk

Aiyuk would be a Fantasy monster if he garnered more than the 6.6 targets per game he had in 2023, but he's still a borderline top-12 WR even without the mega-volume. That's because he proved to be among the most efficient receivers in the NFL last season, ranking top three at the position in yards per catch (17.9), yards per route run (3.06), yards per target (12.8 was tops in football) and explosive reception rate (a gain of at least 16 yards on 35.2% of his grabs, way ahead of the rest in the league). The best part is that of Aiyuk's 37 receptions of 16-plus yards, a dozen were on short receptions that Aiyuk turned upfield on for longer gains. It suggests Aiyuk is more than just a deep-ball receiver, though it is those splash plays that helped him land some dominant weeks last year (four with 20-plus PPR). A lift in targets would do so much more for him, and it's a possibility not only because of his talent and value to the Niners but also because of the ages of both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, both of whom take targets away. Tack on Aiyuk playing in a contract year and you have the potential for a humongous season. Aiyuk is worth rolling the dice on in Round 3 in all leagues.

WR Deebo Samuel

Samuel proved in 2023 that he's still a fierce stat producer, averaging 17 PPR points per game even though he left one of his 15 games after nine snaps. It helped that he averaged 2.5 rush attempts per game and 6.1 yards per rush with five rushing touchdowns -- take those away and he would have averaged 12.7 PPR points per game. If he maintains his prominent role in the Niners offense he should be a locked-in starter. Just keep in mind that he's 28 and has missed multiple games in three of his past four campaigns. Samuel is a quality No. 2 Fantasy WR worth a third-round choice, but the younger Aiyuk has more upside.  

WR Ricky Pearsall

The Niners surprised many with the selection of Pearsall in the 2024 draft, but the pick was more about the long-term, not the upcoming season. Pearsall is a tremendous route runner with great hands and a knack for getting open against zone coverage, but he lacks top-end straight-line speed. He produced modest numbers at Arizona State (with Jayden Daniels) and Florida (with Anthony Richardson) but truly broke out in 2023 with nearly 1,000 yards on 65 grabs. His value will rise dramatically when he takes over for either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, but that's not promised this year. Pearsall might be a late-rounder in redraft leagues but figures to go between 10th and 15th overall in pretty much every rookie-only draft.

WR Jacob Cowing

Cowing will compete for playing time with the 49ers this preseason. For two years at Arizona and a year at Texas-El Paso, Cowing tied or led his teams in receptions with over 1,000 yards in two of the seasons and at least seven touchdowns in each. Cowing is a fast but small receiver with good route-running skills, but as his college career went on, his average depth of target slid. He's also 23 years old, so the clock's ticking on his career. Unless there's some serious buzz this preseason, Cowing figures to be selected exclusively in rookie-only drafts with a pick in Round 3 or later.  

TE George Kittle

Kittle's 12.7 PPR points per game last year was good enough to finish as the sixth-best tight end in Fantasy, but it was still a six-year low for the veteran tight end. Hand in hand with that is a declining target share that hit 5.6 per game last season (5.1 in games Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk were involved in). Most TEs with that low volume need a lot of touchdowns to compensate for it; Kittle recorded six scores in 2023, tied for the second-most in a season of his career. The 31-year-old is still fun to watch and playing in a fantastic offense, but it seems like a return to a heavy-volume role is unlikely. Think of him as a start-worthy Fantasy option worth grabbing as soon as 70th overall, but not as an elite-tier at tight end.  

K Jake Moody

Moody's first year with the 49ers doesn't evoke much confidence in a bigger second year, which is why not many folks will draft him. As a rookie he attempted just 25 field goals and averaged under 8.0 Fantasy points per game. Until his field goal opportunities grow larger (which might happen once the 49ers offense slows down), he's not worth drafting.

49ers DST

At 10 points per game, the 49ers DST ranked as a top-10 unit, but they'll get drafted like a top-five unit this year. That's because they're headlined by pass rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner, two absolute studs. New additions this offseason include rushers Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos, D-tackle Maliek Collins and linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, but it's new defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen who might be the biggest addition of all. Sorensen, a former safety, is very much in line with other former Niners defensive playcallers in that he's aggressive and values zone coverage. Expect him to help keep the Niners defense as one of the better units in Fantasy. Tack on a mostly favorable schedule to begin the year (the Jets, at the Vikings, at the Rams, vs. the Patriots) and there isn't a major weakness to call out. The Niners are worth one of your last two picks on Draft Day.