Last year, left tackle Trent Williams ranked No. 13 on Pro Football Focus' (PFF) list of the top 101 players. As the analytics site begins unveiling its 2024 rankings, Williams has experienced a significant drop, falling 85 spots to No. 98.
Williams endured an injury-plagued season, missing the final seven games due to an ankle injury.
"While Jaylon Moore filled in admirably for Williams after the perennial All-Pro went down in Week 11, it's difficult to fully replace his impact," analyst Mason Cameron wrote. "Prior to his injury, Williams' 86.6 PFF overall grade ranked sixth among tackles and placed him within reach of cementing his fifth consecutive season surpassing the 90.0 grading threshold."
Williams will be 37 at the start of next season. While general manager John Lynch has emphasized that the veteran offensive lineman intends to continue playing, the team must start considering a succession plan.
"Trent's as committed as ever, and we love having Trent Williams a part of us," Lynch said in January.
Rookie makes the list
Right guard Dominick Puni, who started all 17 games this past season, debuts on the list at No. 100. Injuries along the offensive line thrust Puni into the starting lineup during training camp, and the rookie never relinquished his role.
"The 49ers struck gold when they selected Puni with the 87th pick in last April's draft," Cameron wrote. "The first-year guard finished as not only the highest-graded offensive lineman in the 2024 class, but his 81.9 PFF overall grade landed him in the top six among qualifying guards in the league."
More to come
PFF has only revealed players ranked No. 80 through 101, with the rest of the list set to be unveiled in the coming days. Last year, 10 49ers players made the cut:
- RB Christian McCaffrey – No. 5
- DE Nick Bosa – No. 6
- OT Trent Williams – No. 13
- WR Brandon Aiyuk – No. 18
- TE George Kittle – No. 22
- LB Fred Warner – No. 29
- QB Brock Purdy – No. 32
- CB Charvarius Ward – No. 35
- LB Dre Greenlaw – No. 59
- WR Deebo Samuel – No. 64
With the 49ers finishing the season with just six wins and missing the playoffs, it remains to be seen how many other players from last year's list will drop—or which might fall off entirely.