LISTEN: 49ers Smell Revenge With 94 WIP's Eliot Shorr-Parks →
placeholder image

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports


49ers: Three players whose stock is climbing ahead of Week 2

Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 16, 2023 at 6:35 PM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, easily cruising to a 30-7 victory, starting off strong with four consecutive scoring drives and five three-and-outs defensively en route to the win.

In the victory, several 49ers stood out, raising their stock ahead of Week 2, but there were also a few players whose stock took a hit after their Week 1 performance.

Whose stock has climbed ahead of Week 2?



WR Brandon Aiyuk


Perhaps the biggest winner of Week 1, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues to turn heads, earning the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award after an eight-catch, 129-yard, and two-touchdown performance against the Steelers.

I've been on the Aiyuk hype for a while now, but the biggest issue with the wideout last season was his ability to make the difficult, contested catches, as he was unable to consistently come down with those last year.

That wasn't the case in Week 1, as Aiyuk corraled in a tough, deep backshoulder touchdown against Patrick Peterson for his second score of the game.

Aiyuk's game has become extremely well-rounded, and that includes his blocking. His stock only continues to climb, especially after the Week 1 performance that he had.

QB Brock Purdy


Ahead of Week 1, there were some questions about Brock Purdy and how he would look out of the bat, and the quarterback answered those questions with arguably the crispest half of football in his career in the first half.

While it was not as strong in the second half, it was nonetheless a great start for Purdy, who will look to continue improving as the season continues.

Purdy continues to flash consistently in areas like eye manipulation downfield and pocket presence, which only continued on Sunday, and will hopefully happen in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams.

The question of whether Purdy can win a Super Bowl will only be seen down the road, but it was a promising start for the quarterback who suffered a torn UCL earlier this season.

HC Kyle Shanahan


Throughout his career, head coach Kyle Shanahan has been criticized for starting slow, be it in Week 1 specifically or throughout the full season. Well, that wasn't the case in Week 1 of 2023, as Shanahan called one of the best halves of his 49ers career in the first half, and the team executed very well, leading to 20 points within the first 25 minutes.

More importantly, it was clear Shanahan had his players ready to play, and he deserves the requisite credit for the way his team performed in Week 1, even if there are improvements to be made.

There needs to be a sense of urgency around the 49ers in winning that championship, and you could sense that with the strong start against the Steelers, with credit going to Kyle Shanahan for making that happen.

DT Arik Armstead


Fellow defensive tackle Javon Hargrave enjoyed a good start to his career with the 49ers, but Arik Armstead was the most dominant defensive lineman for San Francisco on Sunday, consistently wreaking havoc on the interior, even if the stat sheets don't necessarily show that.

Armstead created the opportunity for Drake Jackson's first sack of the year, flushing quarterback Kenny Pickett out of the pocket, leading the defensive end to utilize his athleticism for the sack. Later, Armstead's pressure directly led to the Charvarius Ward interception, although it was a poor decision to throw from Pickett.

Armstead has long been an underrated piece of the 49ers defensive line, and it's clear he's still dominating in 2023 with a strong initial performance.

While the eyes may be on Nick Bosa, who just signed a historic extension, and free-agent signing Javon Hargrave, Armstead is certainly a name to keep an eye on if he can remain healthy in 2023.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.



Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

Week 13 power rankings: Where 49ers and Eagles stand ahead of NFC showdown

By David Bonilla
Nov 28

The San Francisco 49ers have won three consecutive games since their three-game losing streak in October. Their latest victory was last week on Thanksgiving night against the Seattle Seahawks. This week, they face the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Championship Game rematch at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles, with a 10-1 record, are coming off an overtime win over the Buffalo Bills and present a formidable challenge. The much-anticipated Week 13 showdown could be a season-defining moment for the victor. In the last three games, the 49ers' dominant defense and efficient offense have secured wins with an average margin of 20.7 points. In contrast, the Eagles have had a more


placeholder image

49ers activate Robert Beal Jr., place George Odum on IR ahead of Eagles game

By Site Staff
Nov 27

The San Francisco 49ers announced that rookie defensive lineman Robert Beal Jr. has been activated from the injured reserve list. The team placed safety George Odum on the injured reserve list to make room on the roster. Odum (6-1, 202) appeared in all 11 of the team's games and registered a team-high 10 tackles on special teams. He suffered a torn biceps injury during the 49ers' Week 12 win over the Seattle Seahawks. In April, San Francisco drafted Beal in the fifth round (173rd overall). On August 30, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury. Beal was the last of three 49ers players waiting to be activated after their


placeholder image

Spencer Burford returns to 49ers practice ahead of Eagles game

By David Bonilla
Nov 27

Guard Spencer Burford participated in the San Francisco 49ers' bonus practice on Monday, marking his return after being among the team's seven inactive players on Thanksgiving night against the Seattle Seahawks. 49ers *bonus* practice. Trent Williams, Spencer Burford, Aaron Banks are all on hand … pic.twitter.com/pvRlgZdWDU— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) November 27,


placeholder image

A.J. Brown calls on fans to troll Deebo Samuel ahead of 49ers-Eagles

By David Bonilla
Nov 28

While A.J. Brown and Deebo Samuel maintain a strong friendship, the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver is injecting some friendly banter into the mix ahead of the highly anticipated Week 13 showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Eagles. Brown has declared it "troll [Deebo Samuel] week," urging Eagles fans to engage with the star 49ers player ahead of this crucial matchup. Eagle fans… it's troll @19problemz week. You have my permission. 🤣


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone