PFF’s highest- and lowest-graded 49ers players vs. Dolphins, plus snap counts

The San Francisco 49ers improved their record to 8-4 after a 33-17 win against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13. 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 Dolphins.

• Trent Williams, LT, 83.1, 81 snaps
• Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 80.5, 8 snaps
• Tyler Kroft, TE, 78.6, 23 snaps
• Deebo Samuel, WR, 77.1, 69 snaps
• Jordan Mason, RB, 72.3, 15 snaps

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

• Drake Jackson, DE, 80.2, 9 snaps
• Dre Greenlaw, LB, 76.5, 46 snaps
• Nick Bosa, DE, 76.1, 38 snaps
• Hassan Ridgeway, DT, 67.9, 26 snaps
• Jimmie Ward, CB, 67.5, 32 snaps

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

• Mike McGlinchey, RT, 48.9, 84 snaps
• Jauan Jennings, WR, 49.5, 22 snaps
• George Kittle, TE, 54.9, 81 snaps

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

• Talanoa Hufanga, FS, 29.7, 46 snaps
• Tashaun Gipson Sr., FS, 40.2, 46 snaps
• Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, 42.3, 12 snaps

Quick Takeaways

While the 49ers earned a much-needed victory, the team suffered a devastating roster loss. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will miss the remainder of the season due to a broken foot sustained during the team's first offensive drive. Rookie Brock Purdy, the last overall pick in this year's draft, replaced Garoppolo.

Purdy completed 25 of his 37 pass attempts for 210 yards, two touchdowns, an interception, and a passer rating of 88.8 in his first extended action of his career. His overall Pro Football Focus grade of 61.4 is on par with Garoppolo's grades in the two previous games.

Garoppolo earned the second-highest grade on the team, albeit with a limited sample size of just eight snaps.

Earning the highest grade amongst his teammates was tackle Trent Williams, who regularly secures top marks. While Pro Football Focus credited Williams with a sack surrendered, it was his only pass rush allowed in the game through 48 pass-blocking snaps.

Tight end Tyler Kroft earned his highest grade of the season after catching one pass for 14 yards. The reception was only his third of the season.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel caught six passes for 58 receiving yards, his most since a 79-yard performance in Week 6.

While running back Christian McCaffrey led the team with 66 rushing yards, it was rookie Jordan Mason's 6.4 yards per carry (51 yards on eight attempts) that earned him a spot among the highest-graded 49ers offensive players. McCaffrey's overall grade of 59.3 was his lowest with the 49ers, and his run grade of 45.2 was a career-low.

For the second time in three games, tackle Mike McGlinchey found himself among the three lowest-graded offensive players. He allowed a hit, a hurry, two total pressures, and was penalized once. McGlinchey's run-blocking grade of 38.3 is his worst of the season.

Defensive end Drake Jackson earned the second-highest overall defensive grade of the game (Dolphins S Elijah Campbell - 90.4) and the second-highest grade of his rookie season (85.8, Week 6). In addition, his pass-rushing grade of 76.8 matched his career-high earned in Week 6.

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw led the team with eight tackles. He also recovered the fumble caused by defensive teammate Nick Bosa late in the game, returning it for a touchdown.

Bosa was an absolute game-wrecker. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate led the team with three sacks, increasing his season total to a league-leading 14.5. Pro Football Focus credited the defensive end with a game-high seven pressures. His 62 total pressures this season are second only to Za'Darius Smith of the Minnesota Vikings (63).

Bosa's three sacks mark his second career game with three-or-more sacks and his first since 2019 (Week 8 vs. Panthers QB Kyle Allen).

Safety Talanoa Hufanga finds himself among the three lowest-graded 49ers defenders for the third consecutive game, this time earning the lowest grade among his teammates. His overall grade of 29.7 and coverage grade of 33.4 are career lows. Pro Football Focus credited Hufanga with only one reception surrendered on four targets. However, the catch was the 75-yard touchdown from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to former 49ers wide receiver Trent Sherfield on the Dolphins' first play of the game.

Snap Counts

Offense
84 - Aaron Banks (LG), Daniel Brunskill (RG), Jake Brendel (C), Mike McGlinchey (RT)
81 - George Kittle (TE), Trent Williams (LT)
80 - Brandon Aiyuk (WR)
76 - Brock Purdy (QB)
69 - Christian McCaffrey (RB), Deebo Samuel (WR)
46 - Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
23 - Tyler Kroft (TE)
22 - Jauan Jennings (WR)
15 - Jordan Mason (RB)
8 - Jimmy Garoppolo (QB)
7 - Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR)
4 - Charlie Woerner (TE), Danny Gray (WR)
3 - Jaylon Moore (LT)

Defense
46 - Charvarius Ward (CB), Deommodore Lenoir (CB), Dre Greenlaw (LB), Fred Warner (LB), Talanoa Hufanga (FS), Tashaun Gipson Sr. (FS)
38 - Nick Bosa (DE)
32 - Jimmie Ward (CB)
27 - Samson Ebukam (DE)
26 - Hassan Ridgeway (DT)
24 - Kevin Givens (DT)
21 - Arik Armstead (DT)
16 - Charles Omenihu (DE)
14 - Kerry Hyder (DE)
12 - Azeez Al-Shaair (LB)
11 - Jordan Willis (DE)
9 - Drake Jackson (DE)

Special Teams
27 - Charlie Woerner
23 - George Odum, Oren Burks
20 - Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Jordan Mason, Tarvarius Moore
19 - Samuel Womack
17 - Ambry Thomas
15 - Jordan Willis, Robbie Gould (K), Tyler Kroft
11 - Mitch Wishnowsky (P), Taybor Pepper (LS)
8 - Kyle Juszczyk, Ray-Ray McCloud III
7 - Aaron Banks, Colton McKivitz, Daniel Brunskill, Jaylon Moore, Mike McGlinchey, Nick Zakelj
5 - Talanoa Hufanga
4 - Jauan Jennings, Jimmie Ward
3 - Charles Omenihu, Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Fred Warner, Kerry Hyder, Kevin Givens
2 - Hassan Ridgeway, Tashaun Gipson Sr.