For obvious reasons, effective fantasy managers should be targeting the best NFL offenses. The 49ers undoubtedly remain one of the best the league has to offer. Despite age and injury concerns, I’m going in heavy on the boys once again for my fantasy portfolio. I think you should too. Let’s pick our shots carefully when doing so.
*All positional ranks and ADPs from FantasyPros composite data.
Christian McCaffrey | RB3 | ADP: 5
There’s no reason to get too in the weeds here. If he stays upright, CMC will be a top-five running back at worst. The elephant in the room: can he stay on the field? Following league-leading touch totals in 2019 and 2023, he was the RB52 (2020) and RB47 (2024), playing a combined seven games across both seasons. A bet on Christian is simply a bet on health.
Should you make that bet? I begged you to smash the pick last year, and it was absolutely the right call to do so. Personally, I’m not here to be a 49ers homer, and I’m not making that pick. I’m here to give you the best fantasy advice possible. I’ll opt for the safety of an Amon-Ra St. Brown or the similar ceiling Jonathan Taylor offers, still in his age apex. I also have James Cook and his new potentially expanded passing role above both of them as my RB3. I hate to do this, but CMC is a full fade for me in ‘26.
Mike Evans | WR27 | ADP: 62
I am drafting a disgusting amount of Mike Evans, and I implore you all to follow my lead. Again, injuries loom large over this discussion. Evans has missed 24 games in his 12-season career; however, half of those (12) have been over the last two seasons. My view on it: I’m not weighing a collarbone break as something chronic that should factor too heavily moving forward. That collarbone accounts for nine of his career missed games.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are getting a round five to six price tag on one of the best receivers Kyle Shanahan has ever coached. One of the best X receivers the sport has ever seen. Jauan Jennings has departed, leaving behind 203 vacated targets over two seasons, including 34 red-zone targets and 12 red-zone touchdowns. Evans is a big-bodied, elite route-runner whose game meshes perfectly with QB Brock Purdy. He can still effectively attack all three levels of the field. At the risk of being hyperbolic, I believe we see one of the highest usage, most fantasy productive seasons of Mike Evans’ career. We can get him as our second or third WR in round five! Don’t walk, run to that podium when you have the chance.
Brock Purdy | QB14 | ADP: 112
Purdy has averaged 19.4 PPG across 2024 and 2025, good for the full-season equivalent of a mid-range QB1. We can land him mid-to-late round nine and outside of the top 12 in ADP. This is a very easy click for me. Purdy’s spike weeks are as robust as any of his contemporaries, and his high efficiency gives him a strong floor. There’s also a degree of unsung rushing upside there. If you’re going to punt QB, as I often do, Purdy is the final infinity stone you need to assemble a league-winning gauntlet. Take him with confidence and do your best Thanos impression as you decimate your league-mates.
George Kittle | TE9 | ADP: 92
If you’re sensing a theme here, you’d be correct. This is entirely a bet on health, quite thematic for 49ers fans. Kittle is a Hall of Fame talent and on more than one occasion has nuked a fantasy season for his managers. His ADP has crept up, but he still sits firmly behind far less proven commodities in second-year standout Harold Fannin Jr. and career TE2 Kyle Pitts Sr. Again, no sense wasting digital ink here. If you’re willing to take on the risk of diminished play post-Achilles and of compensatory injuries in the now 33-year-old, there’s an enormous potential payoff at current ADP.
Personally, I’m drafting around him. I prefer the volume for Travis Kelce or touchdown equity for Mark Andrews over the higher-ceiling, lower-floor prospect of Kittle. I also think they have a gem of a backup in Jake Tonges who should see more passing-down work, which would mean relegating George to more of an early down runblocker/play action type role. Still, there’s league-winning upside there if we get even 85% of his pre-achilles self.
Deebo Samuel | WR53 | ADP: 131
This ADP will not hold as the redraft season gets fully underway: Deebo will almost certainly rise to around pick 100. He’ll land in that upside WR4 range alongside guys like Quentin Johnston and Wan’Dale Robinson. There are multiple paths for Deebo to pay off at ADP. Before his ankle injury, he posted an impressive 17.7 PPR PPG with the Commanders in 2025. He now returns to the play-caller who made his career what it is, to the man on the sticks who knows how to use him better than anyone. Combine that with the WR2-sized hole left from Ricky Pearsall’s season-ending injury, and the light running back room behind CMC. I would project anywhere from 6-10 opportunities per game for the returning Samuel. Additionally, all that stands between him and a massive role increase are Mike Evans, George Kittle, and CMC’s health. Which, as we’ve well covered by now... He’s a great bet as an upside WR4/5 for any roster. I wouldn’t be shocked if we look up at some point this season and Deebo is being ranked as fringe WR2.
De’Zhaun Stribling | WR63 | ADP: 174
The case for Stribling is twofold. One, always, always always, chase asymmetric ranges of outcomes with your last redraft bench pieces. We want guys that can be complete zeros, or roster-cracking heroes. These players will often be dropped for bye weeks or better prospects anyway. What we want out of them is to act as lottery tickets that we get a several-week free look at while offenses take form. What happens if Stribling comes out with a 40-yard catch-and-run TD the first week? How much FAAB would immediately be dumped on him?
More importantly, what if we take the Niners at face value that they do, in fact, believe him to be an elite talent? He’s already a plus run blocker, which should get him on the field early. His Relative Athletic Score is tremendous (9.57, 182/4,196 qualified scorers). As we went over, there are hundreds of vacated targets here from the last two years. He’s a big-bodied, strong-handed receiver with a big catch-radius. He offers legitimate speed to a unit that sorely misses it. My bet is that Stribs plays more than the fan base and fantasy community thinks he does. He’s going to be a staple WR5/6 add on for me in drafts come late August, and I’d highly recommend him for your builds too. It’s free upside, in this economy!
Eddie Pinero | K10 | ADP: 225
Those of you that were tailing my prop bets last year know Eddie Pineiro is a 49ersHub favorite. That dude was a wagon. He’ll be borderline free in drafts too. The 49ers offense will have one of the highest point totals week in and week out, and red-zone trips should be aplenty. Eddie is an excellent choice as your fantasy kicker.
There it is, folks. Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for the week one prop bets from me, only on the 49ersHub!