The largest home lead the 49ers have blown is 21 points, back in 2014 against the Chargers. This game featured a lot of old players. 34-year-old TE Antonio Gates and 33-year-old WR Malcom Floyd helped lead the comeback. 33-year-old Ronnie Brown had what turned out to be the final carries and receptions of his career. Meanwhile, 31-year-old Frank Gore and 33-year-old Anquan Boldin paced the Niners, which were missing two other key receivers: 33-year-old Brandon Lloyd and 30-year-old Vernon Davis.
Colin Kaepernick took the loss. A little over two years later, San Francisco replaced him with Jimmy Garoppolo, who became the franchise's primary starting quarterback until he got hurt in 2022 and was replaced by rookie Brock Purdy.
Last night, Purdy and his aged skill players nearly blew a 20-point lead on their home field. They were led by 30-year-old Christian McCaffrey, 33-year-old Mike Evans, and 33-year-old George Kittle. Brandin Cooks (33) and Kyle Juszczyk (35) mixed in. Deebo Samuel (30) and Demarcus Robinson (32) were out with injuries, along with Christian Kirk (turning 30 in a month).
Washington's two primary wideouts (at least on paper) were Stefon Diggs (33) and Terry McLaurin (31). In the backfield, Austin Ekeler (31) and Jeremy McNichols (30) combined for eight touches.
And here's where the teams diverged. Despite being undefeated, San Francisco's offense is being held together with glue and tape. I discussed this on a podcast very early this summer -- that this franchise had assembled a patchwork of aged skill players with higher-than-normal injury risks. Many of them have since gotten hurt. Even some of their replacements (Deebo and Robinson) have gotten hurt.
Once Evans exited yesterday, Purdy was mostly limited to CMC and Kittle. Yeah, Cooks and Juszczyk combined for four targets, and Jordan Watkins had one. But from the 8:00 minute mark in the third quarter to the end of the game, the only 49ers who touched the ball were Purdy, CMC, and Kittle. They combined for only 31 yards.
It was a different story for Washington. After losing McLaurin, their offense largely ran through Rachaad White (27), Chig Okonkwo (27), Treylon Burks (26), and Antonio Williams (22). Diggs was a key part of the near comeback. But this wasn't a Diggs-or-bust offense. Jayden Daniels had a young supporting cast at his disposal, and they nearly pulled off a massive upset.
If you drafted a 49er, the odds are pretty good that you're thrilled. Purdy, CMC, and Kittle have been crushing it. Evans has been great. Deebo was solid about half the time. But it's a roll of the dice investing in well-worn skill players, especially those with injury histories, and/or appear to be breaking down physically. Reports late Monday night suggest Evans might miss some games. Who knows what Kirk still has in the tank when he returns.
There's no real "next man up" in this WR corps. Losing Evans doesn't mean Cooks or anyone else will be startable. These are old, talented players with no remotely comparable backups.
For the Commanders, the fantasy ramifications of last night are more interesting and actionable. McLaurin might be out for a while. Burks got hurt late. If it's not serious, Burks could be a huge waiver add. Remember, the Titans drafted him in the first round in 2022 to replace AJ Brown, who they'd just traded away for the pick that landed Burks. His targets have steadily increased since the start of the season. If he misses time, Antonio Williams would be a solid streamer. Okonkwo has strong rest-of-season streaming potential. With Jacory Croskey-Merritt out, Rachaad White stepped up; he'll have a bunch of great matchups until the fantasy playoffs.
Washington has a broader range of fantasy possibilities. Their ceilings are lower, but there are more of them. The Niners have old, concentrated fantasy talent. If you have one of the last guys standing, you're in great shape. For now.
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