This article is part of our Team Previews series.
San Francisco 49ers 
The 49ers bring much more to the table than a new quarterback, as several key positions were ravaged by injuries in the season after their Super Bowl LIV bid. Better luck on the health front could result in an immediate return to contention for a young, talented roster run by a great offensive mind.
Offseason Moves
Key Acquisitions
- Trey Lance – QB (Rd. 1, No. 3 – North Dakota State)
Raw talent who may need to sit a year before taking over as the starter.
- Trey Sermon – RB (Rd. 3, No. 88 – Ohio State)
Possesses size and explosiveness combo to challenge for reps.
- Elijah Mitchell – RB (Rd. 6, No. 194 – Louisiana)
A burner who split time in college, he could carve out a third-down role.
- Alex Mack – C (from Falcons)
Veteran presence at a position of great need in the trenches
Key Losses
- Richard Sherman – CB (FA)
The 49ers were up against the cap, so a return was improbable.
- Jerick McKinnon – RB (to Chiefs)
Couldn't stay healthy or produce when called upon.
- Tevin Coleman – RB (to Jets)
Injuries and declining production paved the way for his exit.
- Jordan Reed – TE (retired)
Elected to call it a career due to accumulating health concerns
A Look Under the Hood
Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan (Year 5)
Offensive Coordinator: Mike McDaniel (Year 1) - West Coast (wide/outside zone)
Defensive Coordinator: DeMeco Ryans (Year 1) - 4-3 scheme
2021 Vegas Projected Wins: 10 (T-7th)
2020 Record: 6-10
2020 Points Scored: 376 (21st)
2020 Points Allowed: 390 (17th)
2020 Point Differential: -14 (17th)
2020 Run-Play Rate: 41.8 percent (15th)
2020 Offensive Snaps: 1,046 (9th)
2020 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 9
Projected 2021 Depth Chart
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo / Trey Lance / Josh Rosen
RB: Raheem Mostert / Trey Sermon / Wayne Gallman / Jeff Wilson / Elijah Mitchell / JaMycal Hasty
FB: Kyle Juszczyk
WR1: Deebo Samuel / Jalen Hurd
WR2: Brandon Aiyuk / Richie James
WR3: Mohamed Sanu / Trent Sherfield
TE: George Kittle / MyCole Pruitt / Ross Dwelley
O-Line: LT Trent Williams / LG Laken Tomlinson / C Alex Mack / RG Aaron Banks / RT Mike McGlinchey (RotoWire Rank: No. 9)
Kicker: Robbie Gould
Top Storylines
Transition Time at QB
The 49ers made big headlines in the weeks leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft after the front office mortgaged the team's future to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 in a trade with the Dolphins. With the two top picks all but known, the rumor mill began to swirl around whom San Francisco would select.
Alabama product Mac Jones seemed like a fit for coach Kyle Shanahan's offense while also being the prospect most ready to play Week 1. GM John Lynch ultimately decided to gamble on the major upside of Trey Lance, who had just one full year of college experience against defenses that wouldn't qualify as providing much resistance.
On the flip side, the 21-year-old excelled in 2019, completing 66.9 percent of his passes with no interceptions while flashing his athleticism (1,100 yards, 14 TDs on the ground) and plus arm strength. There are questions surrounding the raw talent's footwork in the pocket and accuracy on deeper throws, but the upside certainly is there, and the 49ers felt he was a risk worth taking.
That said, Lance could benefit from "holding the clipboard" in his rookie campaign, so having Jimmy Garoppolo – seemingly forgotten in all of the draft hooplah – retain his starting job could end up being the best decision for both the team's championship hopes in 2021 and Lance's development.
A Look Inside the Medical Tent
Injuries easily were the biggest factor in San Francisco's demise from playing in the Super Bowl a year prior to falling to a bottom feeder in the competitive NFC West in 2020. A Week 2 matchup in MetLife Stadium was the turning point, when the team saw three of its key players (Nick Bosa, Jimmy Garoppolo and Raheem Mostert) catch their cleats in the artificial turf and either end or hinder their campaigns.
The latter two were able to return for a handful of games apiece but clearly were never the same. George Kittle avoided injury that dreadful week, but that was because he already was on the sideline due to a sprained knee from the season opener. If that wasn't enough, the 49ers' young, talented starting wide receiver duo (Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk) were on the field together for only six games due to their respective health concerns.
All that considered, it was a miracle San Francisco was able to finish with six wins, which is a testament to the coaching staff keeping a pared-down roster motivated and competitive in the face of adversity. None of the injuries sustained by the aforementioned key players should jeopardize their 2021 availability from the get-go. If the roster simply can experience some positive fortune this season, the 49ers again could be legitimate contenders.
Can the Defense Return to Form?
San Francisco fell to the middle of the pack in scoring defense (24.4 points per game, 17th) a year after finishing as one of the NFL's best. Just like on offense, injuries took a major toll. Nick Bosa, the 49ers' best defensive player, suffered a torn ACL in the second game of the season, and future Hall of Famer Richard Sherman missed 11 contests. The latter wasn't retained due to salary cap restrictions, and the team lost defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to the Jets.
New coordinator DeMeco Ryans doesn't have a lot of coaching experience in his post-playing career, but he studied directly under Saleh, so we can expect the defense to keep its 4-3 base and heavy zone coverage. The consistency should help a mostly familiar roster transition into a new era.
The health of Bosa, and, to a lesser extent, Dee Ford will be the biggest factors in restoring the group to its former glory. In the eight games the pass rushers played together in 2019, Bosa wasn't just a lock for Defensive Rookie of the Year, he also was among the frontrunners for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Last season wasn't all bad, as Fred Warner blossomed into one of the league's top Mike linebackers, and veteran corner Jason Verrett returned to Pro-Bowl form. If this unit can stay on the field together, it could be one of the more dominant defenses.
Barometer
⬆️ Rising: WR Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk flashed with one of the highlight plays of last season in which he hurdled a defender for a touchdown. Unfortunately, he didn't get a lot of work in with Jimmy Garoppolo. Elevated QB play could result in a breakout.
⬇️ Falling: RB Raheem Mostert
Mostert did nothing to hurt his stock, but the 49ers replaced washed-up backup running backs with explosive young talent. The veteran they call "Mosterati" is the clear No. 1 to begin the year, but he'll have to fend off newcomers.
😴 Sleeper: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Rookie first-round quarterback Trey Lance may not be polished enough to start right away, leaving Garoppolo as the presumed Week 1 starter. As such, Garoppolo could flirt with QB1 status, given the playmakers around him.
🌟 Pivotal Player: George Kittle
Kittle missed significant time due to injuries in 2020 but still put up big receiving numbers in his eight appearances. The 49ers drafted Trey Lance to be the quarterback of the future, but even if incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo remains the starter this year, it will be an upgrade over the likes of Nick Mullens or C.J. Beathard from a season ago.
Medical Tent
Mostert missed a total of eight games in 2020 as a result of a high-ankle sprain that lingered from Week 2 and landed him on IR in December. The 29-year-old dealt with an unrelated minor knee injury during the offseason program but was ready to go by training camp. When healthy, the speedy veteran is capable of strong performances due to his big-play ability (5.0 YPC last season). The 49ers brought in some fresh legs via the draft to bolster the backfield, but Mostert is projected to lead a dangerous rushing attack in San Francisco.
WR Deebo Samuel
Samuel's 2020 campaign got off to an unfortunate start when he suffered a broken foot in the offseason. The 25-year-old missed the first three weeks of the season and wound up sitting out nine total games while getting on and off the field with various lower-body injuries. While Samuel entered training camp this year with a clean bill of health, he missed a recent practice to tend to muscle tightness, only to return one day later. It's not exactly a great beginning, but when healthy Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk project as a dynamic starting WR tandem.
DE Nick Bosa
Bosa suffered a debilitating injury – like several of his teammates – at the Jets last September, bringing his much-anticipated sophomore season to an abrupt end due to a torn ACL. The silver lining here is that the injury happened early in the season, and medical advancements have come so far that athletes can bounce back from torn knee ligaments in record time. Bosa currently expects to suit up Week 1, giving San Francisco a key piece to restoring the defense back to its dominant 2019 form.
Job Battle
GM John Lynch managed to maintain most of the 49ers' key starting position players on offense this offseason, resulting in a projected starting depth chart that is nearly set in stone heading into training camp. The lone spot up for grabs is the third receiver job that was left vacant by the departures of Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor. The early camp favorite appears to be Richie James, who profiles as a speedy, albeit undersized, option who finally got a decent look as a part of Kyle Shanahan's offense in 2020 (23 receptions and 394 yards in 405 offensive snaps).
Behind him is an intriguing wildcard in Jalen Hurd, who will make his third attempt to stay healthy through training camp since San Fran selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft. The 6-foot-5 former running back brings a unique set of skills that could translate favorably for fantasy purposes if he ever gets a legitimate opportunity.
Veteran Mohamed Sanu, who has played under Shanahan in the past, also could step into the role should the aforementioned youngsters fail to impress. The 49ers do not utilize the slot position heavily, but whoever ends up winning this job battle could put themselves in position to step up should a starting wideout miss time this season.
