The San Francisco 49ers improved to 9-7 after a 23-7 win against the Houston Texans in Week 17.

Today, Pro Football Focus released its grades from the game. Which Niners played well, and who has more work to do?

Below are Pro Football Focus' five highest-graded 49ers players on offense against the Texans.


Below are the five highest-graded 49ers players on defense.



Below are the three lowest-graded 49ers players on offense.


Below are the three lowest-graded 49ers players on defense.


Quick Takeaways


Quarterback Trey Lance earned an overall grade of 59.3, lower than his last start in week 5 (66.3). However, Lance earned his first career win, completing 16 of 23 pass attempts for 249 yards, two touchdowns, an interception, and a passer rating of 116.0. He improved in the second half, which is when the 49ers offense started to show more signs of life. Lance earned a passer rating of 67.8 in the first half compared to 143.8 in the second.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk earned his highest grade of the season and his highest grade since Week 7 of 2020 (89.0). He finished the game with four catches for 94 yards, his highest yardage this season.

Sunday's game marked the ninth time this season that tight end George Kittle has earned an overall grade of at least 81.0. He recorded one catch for 29 yards.


Tackle Trent Williams has never graded lower than 72.9 this season. That didn't change on Sunday.

Defensive end Arden Key earned a career-high single-game overall grade of 93.3. In addition, he recorded a sack against the Texans, increasing his single-season career-high to six. Key had a game-leading seven pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

Defensive lineman Arik Armstead earned his best grade of the season and his highest mark since Week 6 of 2019 (90.7).

Rookie cornerback Ambry Thomas' grades have improved over the past three games, with his 72.2 mark from Sunday becoming a new career-high.

Linebacker Fred Warner finished with a game-high 15 tackles and a forced fumble. His 15 tackles are also a new single-game career-high. The star defender now has a career-high 129 tackles on the season, per Pro Football Reference.


Snap Counts


Offense
63 - Alex Mack (C), Daniel Brunskill (RG), Laken Tomlinson (LG), Tom Compton (RT), Trey Lance (QB)
60 - George Kittle (TE), Trent Williams (LT)
57 - Brandon Aiyuk (WR)
54 - Deebo Samuel (WR)
36 - Elijah Mitchell (RB)
34 - Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
31 - Jauan Jennings (WR)
12 - Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB)
10 - Charlie Woerner (TE)
8 - JaMycal Hasty (RB), Trent Sherfield (WR)
3 - Jaylon Moore (RT), Ross Dwelley (TE)
2 - Travis Benjamin (WR)

Defense
67 - Ambry Thomas (CB), Fred Warner (LB), Jaquiski Tartt (FS), Jimmie Ward (FS)
55 - Marcell Harris (LB)
54 - K'Waun Williams (CB)
51 - Arik Armstead (DE)
49 - Nick Bosa (DE)
46 - Josh Norman (CB)
40 - Samson Ebukam (DE)
26 - D.J. Jones (DT)
25 - Arden Key (DE)
23 - Kentavius Street (DT)
21 - Dontae Johnson (CB)
20 - Charles Omenihu (DE)
19 - Kevin Givens (DT)
16 - Jordan Willis (DE)
14 - Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (LB)
8 - Deommodore Lenoir (CB)
2 - Jarrod Wilson (FS)

Special Teams
18 - Charlie Woerner
17 - Dontae Johnson, Jarrod Wilson, Mark Nzeocha
15 - Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Trent Sherfield
14 - River Cracraft
12 - Deommodore Lenoir
10 - Arik Armstead, Robbie Gould (K)
9 - Curtis Robinson, JaMycal Hasty, Mitch Wishnowsky (P), Taybor Pepper (LS)
8 - D.J. Jones, Ross Dwelley
7 - Jeff Wilson Jr.
6 - Jordan Willis
5 - Aaron Banks, Brandon Aiyuk, Daniel Brunskill, Jake Brendel, Laken Tomlinson, Tom Compton
4 - Arden Key, Charles Omenihu, Jaquiski Tartt, Kyle Juszczyk
3 - Fred Warner, K'Waun Williams, Marcell Harris, Nick Bosa, Samson Ebukam
2 - Jimmie Ward, Travis Benjamin

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