Who were PFF’s highest- and lowest-graded 49ers players vs. Broncos? Plus snap counts

The San Francisco 49ers dropped to 1-2 after an 11-10 loss against the Denver Broncos in Week 3. 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 Broncos.

• Trent Williams, LT, 80.6, 38 snaps
• Aaron Banks, LG, 72.7, 56 snaps
• Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 67.5, 50 snaps
• Colton McKivitz, LT, 66.6, 11 snaps
• Deebo Samuel, WR, 61.7, 44 snaps

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

• Samuel Womack, CB, 97.8, 2 snaps
• Dre Greenlaw, LB, 84.4, 74 snaps
• Charvarius Ward, CB, 81.7, 71 snaps
• Fred Warner, LB, 78.3, 74 snaps
• Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB, 76.4, 21 snaps

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

• Jaylon Moore, LT, 28.6, 7 snaps
• Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 42.4, 56 snaps
• Spencer Burford, RG, 43.7, 56 snaps

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

• Javon Kinlaw, DT, 37.4, 42 snaps
• Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, 46.5, 17 snaps
• Talanoa Hufanga, SS, 52.0, 74 snaps

Quick Takeaways

Rookie cornerback Samuel Womack was the game's highest-graded player. However, the sample size was tiny. He only played two defensive snaps. Deommodore Lenoir played most of the slot cornerback snaps for the 49ers defense but only earned a 61.6 overall defensive grade.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's mistakes stood out. He lost a fumbled snap, stepped out of the back of the end zone for a disastrous safety, and gifted an interception to the Broncos defense late in the game. And that doesn't even include the repeated poor ball placement ... or not even seeing a wide-open Deebo Samuel who was ready to take a pass into the end zone.

"We weren't in a rhythm at all in the second half," Garoppolo said after the loss. "You could feel it, you could see it. We were talking about it on the sideline. Just thinking about it, it was kind of my first week with these guys. I've just got to get in a rhythm with them, especially like third down. We were terrible today."

Garoppolo earned the 49ers' third-lowest overall grade after completing 18 of his 29 pass attempts for 211 years, a touchdown, an interception, and a passer rating of 81.3.

Tackle Trent Williams was the game's highest-graded offensive player, but he left the game with what the 49ers believe to be a high-ankle sprain. The offensive lineman will likely miss some time.

Jaylon Moore replaced Williams at left tackle, recording the game's worst Pro Football Focus grade in his limited action. He allowed two pressures in only four pass-blocking snaps, leading the 49ers to replace Moore with Colton McKivitz.

Second-year guard Aaron Banks continues to earn solid grades from Pro Football Focus. He now owns a 77.0 overall grade, a 76.8 pass-blocking grade, and a 72.3 run-blocking grade through three games this season.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was the 49ers' highest-graded pass catcher. While he only caught three of his eight targets for 39 yards and a touchdown, he did not have a drop in the game.

Finally recovered from a groin injury, tight end George Kittle made his 2022 season debut. However, his 57.6 overall grade was his worst single-season mark since Week 16 in 2021. Kittle finished the game with four catches for 28 yards.

Back on defense, linebacker Dre Greenlaw earned the highest defensive grade among players with significant playing time. Not counting Womack's two snaps, cornerback Charvarius Ward was the team's highest-graded defensive back.

Nick Bosa's 75.2 overall grade was the best among 49ers defensive linemen. He finished the game with six pressures, a sack, three hits, and two quarterback hurries.

After putting in two stellar performances to start the season, safety Talanoa Hufanga finds himself near the bottom when it comes to Pro Football Focus grades in the Week 3 matchup.

The 49ers hoped defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw would be a dominant force for the defense in 2022. However, he earned the game's lowest defensive grade and owns a career-low 46.7 overall grade through three games this season. The bright side is that Kinlaw's pass-rushing grade of 66.8 is a career-high, so there has been some improvement in that area.

Snap Counts

Offense
56 - Aaron Banks (LG), Jake Brendel (C), Jimmy Garoppolo (QB), Mike McGlinchey (RT), Spencer Burford (RG)
51 - George Kittle (TE)
50 - Brandon Aiyuk (WR)
44 - Deebo Samuel (WR)
41 - Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB)
38 - Trent Williams (LT)
35 - Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
26 - Jauan Jennings (WR)
11 - Colton McKivitz (LT)
10 - Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR)
8 - Charlie Woerner (TE)
7 - Jaylon Moore (LT)
6 - Danny Gray (WR)
5 - Jordan Mason (RB)
4 - Ross Dwelley (TE)

Defense
74 - Dre Greenlaw (LB), Fred Warner (LB), Talanoa Hufanga (SS)
73 - Emmanuel Moseley (CB), Tashaun Gipson Sr. (FS)
71 - Charvarius Ward (CB)
57 - Nick Bosa (DE)
43 - Samson Ebukam (DE)
42 - Javon Kinlaw (DT)
35 - Deommodore Lenoir (CB), Kevin Givens (DT)
30 - Hassan Ridgeway (DT)
28 - Charles Omenihu (DE)
22 - Drake Jackson (DE)
21 - Akeem Spence (DT), Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (LB)
20 - Kerry Hyder (DE)
17 - Azeez Al-Shaair (LB)
2 - Samuel Womack (CB)
1 - George Odum (SS), Tarvarius Moore (FS)

Special Teams
25 - Charlie Woerner, George Odum, Oren Burks
24 - Ross Dwelley
23 - Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Tarvarius Moore
20 - Ambry Thomas
17 - Deommodore Lenoir
16 - Samuel Womack
15 - Jordan Mason
13 - Ray-Ray McCloud III
10 - Mitch Wishnowsky (P)
9 - Jauan Jennings, Taybor Pepper (LS)
7 - Kyle Juszczyk
5 - Robbie Gould (K)
3 - Charvarius Ward, Emmanuel Moseley, Fred Warner, Marlon Mack, Samson Ebukam, Talanoa Hufanga
2 - Aaron Banks, Blake Hance, Charles Omenihu, Colton McKivitz, Hassan Ridgeway, Javon Kinlaw, Jaylon Moore, Kerry Hyder, Kevin Givens, Mike McGlinchey, Spencer Burford
1 - Dre Greenlaw, Nick Bosa

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