49ers triplets ranking flatters a roster that has quietly fallen apart around Brock Purdy

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Eighth place sounds respectable until you examine what the San Francisco 49ers are actually putting around their quarterback. CBS Sports analyst Jared Dubin's annual offensive triplets rankings placed the 49ers at No. 8 overall, pairing Brock Purdy with running back Christian McCaffrey and newly signed wide receiver Mike Evans.

That number has not moved in a year, making San Francisco one of only two franchises to hold the exact same position on the list, alongside the last-ranked Cleveland Browns. Stability in a ranking is not inherently meaningful, but the circumstances producing that stability have changed significantly.

McCaffrey totaled 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns last season, numbers that look impressive in isolation. His 3.9 yards per carry, however, was the lowest average he had posted since a three-game 2020 campaign, and San Francisco's overall rushing attack ranked 30th out of 32 teams in yards per carry.

A franchise that constructed its offensive identity around a suffocating ground game is now running the ball at near-league-worst efficiency. Evans, who replaces tight end George Kittle after the latter suffered a torn Achilles, managed only eight appearances for Tampa Bay last season before hamstring and clavicle injuries ended his year.

Purdy himself missed all but nine games with turf toe. Three of the four skill-position starters entered 2026 either coming off injury or operating past their peak production window. Dubin himself acknowledged the difficulty, noting the need to account for injury concerns and the persistent challenge of separating individual talent from Shanahan's offensive framework.

Shanahan's Personnel Calls Have Left the 49ers' Offensive Foundation Crumbling

The debate over how much credit Brock Purdy deserves versus how much belongs to Kyle Shanahan has followed this franchise for three seasons. NFL coaches and executives recently submitted their top-10 quarterback rankings and excluded Purdy entirely, a decision that reflects a wider belief that his production is more scheme-dependent than skill-driven.

That belief has legitimate grounding. Jimmy Garoppolo played at a borderline top-10 level inside this system before falling to backup status after departing for Las Vegas. Mac Jones, dismissed as a failure in New England and Jacksonville, ranked 10th in QBR across eight starts last season, operating within the same framework. The pattern Shanahan creates is real.

What has changed is the quality of the environment Shanahan is now building around Purdy. Brandon Aiyuk's relationship with the organization collapsed before his guarantees were voided, with Evans, 32, brought in as the replacement. Kittle received a long-term extension and is now recovering from an Achilles tear in his 30s. McCaffrey, also extended, is running at a career-low efficiency.

The play-action passing game that once made Purdy's reads straightforward depended entirely on defenses fearing McCaffrey in the open field. With the run game ranked 30th nationally, that fear no longer exists.

Purdy led the team in rushing during San Francisco's playoff elimination against Seattle, a detail that captures exactly how far the offensive structure has drifted from its original design. Within the NFC West, the Rams ranked second overall in triplets behind only Cincinnati, with Stafford, Kyren Williams, and Puka Nacua forming a considerably healthier trio heading into the new season.