The 49ers need these 5 players to perform at a high level in order to win big in 2025.
The San Francisco 49ers have started organized team activities (OTAs), marking them one phase closer to the start of the regular season.
It’s a much different roster for the 49ers, who saw a good chunk of their roster depart via free agency. Electing not to make a splash move, San Francisco instead relied on the draft to recoup talent and is now positioning themselves to return to the playoffs in 2025, potentially.
Last year was a disappointing season for the 49ers. Injuries cost them dearly, with several starters missing multiple games. That was seen especially during the 1-6 end to the season, when San Francisco struggled to close out games and went on a downward spiral before ending at 6-11.
Now, with many of their stars back and (hopefully) healthy, they’ll look to turn the tide in the other direction in 2025. With that said, who are the most important players for that success next season?
When gauging the “most important” players, it may not be the best guys on the team, but rather the ones who will sway this group’s success the most. So, let’s evaluate the roster and break down the five most important 49ers in 2025.
5. QB Brock Purdy
It’s obvious that Brock Purdy will have to play well in order for this team to have success in 2025. The quarterback struggled in high-leverage situations at times when asked to carry the team in 2024, leading to a few close losses, while other teammates couldn’t pick things up when needed as well.
Now, in 2025, Purdy should have Christian McCaffrey back, while hopefully taking another step forward in his play as well. In addition, Brandon Aiyuk could be back earlier than the midseason mark, giving the quarterback his WR1.
With the weapons around him, everything doesn’t rely on Purdy for a playoff push in 2025. But, his stepping up in those high-leverage moments could be the difference between a championship-caliber season and a low wildcard spot.
The good news? Everything is set in stone already this offseason, giving Purdy plenty of time to work with players like Ricky Pearsall and get more continuity with his guys.
4. DT Alfred Collins
A second-round pick on this list may be confusing at No. 4, but San Francisco desperately needs improvements with their run defense. Many are praising the 49ers for their offseason, which is fair. They extended their key players, didn’t make any unnecessary moves, brought back Robert Saleh, and looked to build via the draft.
Now, though, those draft picks need to hit, and they need to be successful early. The 49ers’ run defense was their biggest issue in 2025, and San Francisco didn’t do much in free agency to address that. Collins is their biggest addition in that department, so he’ll need to be up to the task early to help stop the run.
His measurables and play style fit that goal, but it’ll need to translate on Sundays, which is the next question to answer for the 49ers rookie. If Collins can be an every-down, or even a two-down player as a rookie, then San Francisco’s defense can be an improvement.
But, if he struggles to shed blocks or deal with the physicality in his rookie season, the 49ers may be in for a tough ride from a run defense perspective.
No. 3: DE Mykel Williams
Another rookie gets on the list here at No. 3, and it’s the 49ers first-round pick Mykel Williams. Much of what was said above applies here as well. San Francisco needs a productive year from Williams after releasing Leonard Floyd in free agency and not making any other moves to improve the spot opposite Nick Bosa.
Bosa will get his own, as he has throughout his career, be that in the form of sacks, pressures, or run stops. He’ll likely face his fair share of double-teams too, making Williams’s role more important.
The Georgia defensive end dealt with an ankle injury for much of the 2024 season, and evaluators suggested he wasn’t used to his fullest potential in the Bulldogs’ system.
With a more favorable scheme in San Francisco and tons of 1-on-1 opportunities, Williams could be in line for a rookie-of-the-year caliber season. If that’s the case, the 49ers should thrive as a pass-rushing unit.
Not to mention, the rookie is very solid at setting the edge against the run. That needs to translate to gamedays as well, but he should help with two of the 49ers’ bigger defensive issues from the 2024 season.
Getting that production early will be key.
No. 2: LT Trent Williams
Williams has been one of, if not the best, left tackles for the past several years in the NFL. As he gets older (entering his age-37 season), the main issue that has continued to plague him is injuries.
Now, Williams’s play has slowly begun to slip year after year, but he’s still one of the best in the business when fully healthy on the field. That last part is the caveat.
Last year, the 49ers had Williams for just 10 games, with the star left tackle missing the last seven contests of the year. It’s notable that San Francisco went just 1-6 in that frame.
That was with Jaylon Moore as the replacement left tackle. Moore, who had struggled a lot earlier in his career, looked much better in 2024 as an average tackle, and consequently signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency.
The 49ers don’t have that quality depth at tackle anymore behind Williams and Colton McKivitz. So, if either goes down, there could be serious problems along the offensive line in 2025.
With Williams in the fold, the 49ers can be serious playoff contenders. But, we’ve seen that can slip away when the left tackle is injured. Heading into his age-37 season, health will be the most important factor for the 11-time Pro Bowler.
No. 1: RB Christian McCaffrey
The 49ers’ offense functions at a much different level when Christian McCaffrey is on the field. Spacing is better. Brock Purdy is more comfortable. And they just score more points.
Unfortunately, due to the Achilles tendonitis, McCaffrey just wasn’t on the field in 2024, playing in just four games. Jordan Mason had a quality season, but it’s clear the 49ers offense is much different when their star isn’t out there in the backfield.
McCaffrey poses serious matchup problems for defenses with his three-down ability, as he’s elite as a receiver and can find a way to make plays out of thin air.
The running back says he’s fully healthy heading into the offseason, which is the team’s biggest priority in 2025. The ceiling is sky-high for this offense, even without Brandon Aiyuk for a few weeks, when McCaffrey is in the mix. That drastically changes if the star running back is out.
It’s also notable that the 49ers don’t have that kind of experience in the backfield anymore, trading Mason to the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. So, their backups are now Isaac Guerendo, rookie Jordan James, and Patrick Taylor Jr. That’s not a great group.
The 49ers need McCaffrey in 2025, both production and availability-wise. He’s their most important player.