49ers' ceiling is the highest in a crucial area, if they can stave off an obvious concern that seems inevitable
· Yahoo Sports
San Francisco has the best individual skill position trio in the NFL, but can they be counted on to shine together?
The San Francisco 49ers made one of the biggest splashes of the entire offseason this year, when they landed longtime Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans after over a decade in Tampa Bay.
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The intrigue of winning another Super Bowl for Evans, who helped Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV five years ago, ultimately won out, and the 49ers are certainly a team who should be in contention to return there next year.
With Evans’ addition, the Niners arguably have the NFL’s top individual RB/WR/TE trio in Christian McCaffrey, Evans, and George Kittle. And that earned San Francisco the No. 5 spot on ESPN senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell’s list of the NFL’s top skill position groups.
49ers have one of the best RB/WR/TE trios, but having them all at the same time is an iffy possibility
Barnwell noted the upside for the trio, but also briefly chronicled their respective injury histories over the last several seasons.
“There’s a No. 1 playmaker group on paper here, but it requires the new big three in San Francisco to stave off both aging and injury in 2026,” Barnwell wrote.
It’s pretty simple. If the Niners can find a way to keep all three on the field for close to 17 games, San Francisco should be able stay in contention in the NFC West with Myles Garrett and the revamped Rams all the way to the finish line.
But that’s the rub. How likely is that to happen? Recent history hasn’t worked out that way. McCaffrey came over from Carolina during the 2022 season. In their three full seasons together thus far, McCaffrey and Kittle have both appeared in 12 or more games in the same season just once (2023).
Evans is also hitting a point to where injuries have been more concerning. He missed three games in 2024 with a hamstring injury, and hamstring and collarbone injures cost him half the season last year.
The potential is off the charts, and if the stars align and all three can make it through 15 or 16 games a piece, then there’s little doubt the 49ers would have one of the most potent offenses in the league. But expecting that to happen is a very thin and narrow branch to walk out on.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 49ers' ceiling is the highest in a crucial area, if they can stave off an obvious concern that seems inevitable
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