Trying to pick an MVP of the 49ers on either side of the ball is difficult.
There are arguments to be made for several players on offense, but typically running back Christian McCaffrey gets the nod. San Francisco’s defensive MVP is less clear, but it’s getting harder to argue anyone besides linebacker Fred Warner deserves the crown.
Warner landed at No. 11 overall in NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2024 – a four spot jump from last season.
Every year there’s some form of controversy around the NFL Top 100, which is a survey of active NFL players conducted by NFL Network. It’s not a definitive ranking by any means. It is, however, a good barometer for how certain players are viewed by their contemporaries.
That Warner was by far the highest-ranked 49ers defender speaks volumes about what he brings to the table for San Francisco. There’s not another 49ers defensive player on the list until No. 27 where defensive end Nick Bosa resides. While Bosa is the one with a Defensive Player of the Year award under his belt, it makes sense that Warner has separated himself amongst his peers.
Bosa’s holdout that lasted until Week 1 of the regular season last year had an impact on his play. While he was still dominant it was a discernible step back from his stellar 2022 campaign.
Meanwhile, Warner has been sensational on a regular basis over the last four years. In that stretch he’s been a First-Team All-Pro three times and he finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023. His range allows him to bottle up run plays to either sideline, and his coverage skills take away a ton of easy throws modern offenses are built around. He’s also the vocal leader of San Francisco’s extremely talented defense.
Perhaps in 2024 Bosa puts together another DPOY campaign that bolsters his case to be the 49ers’ defensive MVP. Going into 2024, however, there aren’t many players on either side of the ball for San Francisco better than Warner.
