The San Francisco 49ers will, once again, try to capture an elusive sixth Lombardi Trophy in 2024. Their roster remains stacked with Pro Bowlers and All-Pros, even as wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains in ongoing contract extension negotiations.
It will be a tough road back to the NFC’s No. 1 seed and the Super Bowl for the 49ers in 2024, but they will still be in the mix to win their first Super Bowl in 30 years.
Let’s take a look at just how good the 2024 version of the 49ers will be with five bold predictions.
5 Bold 49ers Predictions in 2024
Brock Purdy Will Finish in the Top 2 in the NFL in Passing Yards
The 49ers’ third-year quarterback and former Mr. Irrelevant has more than proved he can play quarterback in the NFL.
Brock Purdy threw for over 4,200 yards in his first full season in 2023, and that was coming off an elbow injury sustained in the NFC Championship Game the previous January.
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With so many weapons to throw the ball to, Purdy will be so prolific as a passer in 2024 that he will finish in the top two of the NFL in passing yards. He finished fifth in passing yards in 2023, so it’s not at all out of the question that Purdy can move up three spots in 2024.
It’s worth noting that Purdy didn’t play in the 49ers’ regular-season finale last year against the Rams, perhaps keeping him from being higher in the 2023 passing yards rankings.
Brandon Aiyuk Will Have 1,500+ Receiving Yards
Now that Brandon Aiyuk has agreed to a massive extension with the 49ers, he’s about to announce himself as a truly elite wide receiver in the NFL.
Aiyuk’s accession over the last two seasons has been phenomenal. Deebo Samuel Sr., George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey may get all the attention and headlines on the 49ers’ offense, but Aiyuk is their best receiver.
Aiyuk, a fourth-year, former first-round pick out of Arizona State, averaged 17.9 yards per catch in 2023. That’s almost two first downs per catch! Aiyuk also had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards in 2023, and that’s with not playing in the final regular-season game.
If Aiyuk plays all 17 games in 2024, his numbers could be ridiculously high. He’s increased his receiving yard total in each of his first four seasons, which makes 1,500 yards very possible.
Fred Warner and Nick Bosa Will Both Be Defensive Player of the Year Contenders
Fred Warner and Nick Bosa are both that good.
Warner, in particular, is the best linebacker in the NFL. He’s smart, instinctual, and seemingly knows where the ball is going on every play.
Bosa is poised for a bounce-back season in terms of his sack total after having just 10.5 sacks in 2023.
A big reason for Bosa’s drop from 18.5 sacks in 2022 to 10.5 in 2023 is the 49ers’ defensive line had an embarrassment of riches last year. Bosa played alongside Chase Young, Javon Hargrave, and Arik Armstead, among others. Young and Armstead are gone this season, meaning Bosa will have more opportunities for sacks.
To win Defensive Player of the Year, a player has to first be the best at their position. It also helps to play on one of the NFL’s best teams, which Warner and Bosa do.
Warner is the best linebacker in the NFL, and Bosa has won a Defensive Player of the Year Award already. Combine all that up, and you have two 49ers players who can win Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Deebo Samuel Will Have 1,000 Receiving Yards and 500 Rushing Yards
FOX Sports’ Erin Andrews had this stat to illustrate just how valuable Samuel is to the 49ers’ offense: In the games Samuel played in 2023, the 49ers averaged 7 yards per play. In games Samuel didn’t play, the 49ers averaged less than 6 yards per play.
McCaffrey is the best running back in the NFL, but he is still injury-prone. If he has a dip in production in 2024, expect Samuel to see a lot more touches as a runner.
Samuel’s career-high in all-purpose yards is 1,770, set back in 2021. It’s entirely possible Samuel can get back up to 1,500 yards.
Remember, Samuel missed two games in 2023, as well as almost all of a third game. Not to mention, he didn’t play in the 49ers’ regular-season finale. Despite all that, Samuel still finished 2023 with 1,117 all-purpose yards.
The 49ers Will Lose to the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game at Home
The 49ers can’t possibly endure another heartbreaking loss in the playoffs and the Super Bowl, can they?
The 49ers have already lost four NFC Championship Games since 2011, and they’ve lost three Super Bowls. That’s a lot of heartbreak for a team with a rich history of winning. San Francisco was the first NFL franchise to win five Super Bowls.
Unfortunately, that heartbreak is going to continue in 2024.
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The Lions had the 49ers on the ropes at halftime in last season’s NFC Championship Game, leading 24-7. If it wasn’t for a ridiculously lucky catch by Aiyuk, it’s worth wondering how that game could have gone for the 49ers.
The pressure will be at an all-time high for the 49ers to deliver the Bay Area its sixth Lombardi Trophy, but the 49ers will fall one game short of getting back to the Super Bowl this season.