49ers vs. Saints PFF grades: Best and worst from the game, plus snap counts

The San Francisco 49ers improved their record to 2-0 after a 26-21 win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. Today, Pro Football Focus released its grades and snap counts from the game. Which Niners stood out, and who needs more work?

Highest-graded 49ers: Offense

• Trent Williams, LT, 83.4, 71 snaps
• Jake Brendel, C, 80.2, 71 snaps
• Christian McCaffrey, RB, 76.9, 55 snaps
• Colton McKivitz, RT, 73.9, 71 snaps
• Ben Bartch, LG, 73.5, 10 snaps

Highest-graded 49ers: Defense

• Fred Warner, LB, 95.1, 71 snaps
• Ji'Ayir Brown, SS, 93.5, 7 snaps
• Bryce Huff, DE, 90.4, 28 snaps
• Nick Bosa, DE, 78.3, 59 snaps
• Dee Winters, LB, 74.3, 69 snaps

Lowest-graded 49ers: Offense

• Jake Tonges, TE, 47.4, 56 snaps
• Brayden Willis, TE, 54.7, 6 snaps
• Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, 56.0, 9 snaps
• Mac Jones, QB, 58.6, 71 snaps
• Kyle Juszczyk, FB, 58.7, 10 snaps

Lowest-graded 49ers: Defense

• Kalia Davis, DT, 30.8, 34 snaps
• Marques Sigle, SS, 41.4, 71 snaps
• Renardo Green, CB, 43.1, 71 snaps
• Deommodore Lenoir, CB, 45.7, 71 snaps
• Sam Okuayinonu, DE, 46.5, 28 snaps

Highest-graded Saints

• Chris Rumph II, LOLB, 80.2, 24 snaps
• Demario Davis, LB, 79.1, 71 snaps
• Jack Stoll, TE, 78.0, 18 snaps
• Spencer Rattler, QB, 75.5, 71 snaps
• Chris Olave, WR, 72.6, 71 snaps

Quarterback play

Mac Jones finished 26-of-39 for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and a passer rating of 113.1. Despite the strong stat line, his Pro Football Focus offensive grade came in at just 58.6, one of the lowest among his offensive teammates. It marked his lowest grade since Week 11 of 2024 (53.0).

Highest marks

Linebacker Fred Warner earned the game's top grade with an elite 95.1 defensive mark—his third-best career rating, trailing only 96.6 (Week 4, 2024) and 95.8 (Week 2, 2024) marks. Warner led the defense with 11 tackles (one for a loss), a pass defensed, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery against the Saints.

Offensive line

Left tackle Trent Williams bounced back after a rough Week 1 (55.3 grade), posting an 83.4 offensive grade—the best among 49ers offensive players. He was also the highest-graded offensive lineman in the game and did not allow a single pressure.

Williams earned a 90.0 pass-blocking grade, the best of the game, while his 74.2 run-blocking grade ranked second only to center Jake Brendel (85.0).

Four San Francisco offensive linemen earned pass-blocking grades of 81.7 or higher: Williams, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, and Ben Bartch.

Rookie Connor Colby replaced Bartch at left guard after an injury, earning an offensive grade of 61.2 and a pass-blocking grade of 73.1.

In total, the 49ers' offensive line surrendered six pressures.

• C Jake Brendel — 4
• RT Colton McKivitz, RG Dominick Puni — 1 each

Receiving

Running back Christian McCaffrey posted the game's best receiving grade (74.7). Ricky Pearsall led San Francisco's wide receivers with a 66.8 overall offensive grade and a 67.5 receiving grade.

Rushing

Christian McCaffrey was also the game's highest-graded running back with a 76.9 offensive mark. Brian Robinson Jr. ranked second at 64.2, followed by Saints star Alvin Kamara with a 63.4 grade.

Pass rush

Defensive end Bryce Huff led all pass rushers with an 89.4 grade. He and Nick Bosa combined for 11 pressures—six for Bosa and five for Huff. Both recorded a sack, as did rookie cornerback Upton Stout.

• DE Nick Bosa — 6
• DE Bryce Huff — 5
• CB Upton Stout, DE Mykel Williams — 3 each
• DT Jordan Elliott, DT Yetur Gross-Matos — 2 each
• DT Alfred Collins — 1

Run defense

Fred Warner once again led the 49ers with an 85.2 run-defense grade, second only to Saints linebacker Demario Davis (88.8) across both teams. Rookie Upton Stout ranked second on San Francisco's defense with a 75.1 grade.

Pass defense

The top coverage grade of the game belonged to Fred Warner (93.4). Three 49ers defenders earned coverage grades of 90.2 or higher: Warner, safety Ji'Ayir Brown (91.8), and linebacker Dee Winters (90.2). No Saints defender topped 65.3.

Tackling

Rookie safety Marques Sigle earned San Francisco's best tackling grade (83.9), second only to Saints linebacker Demario Davis (84.1) overall. Fred Warner placed third in the game with an 81.5.

• CB Deommodore Lenoir — 3
• CB Upton Stout, LB Dee Winters — 2 each
• DT Alfred Collins, DT Yetur Gross-Matos, DE Bryce Huff, SS Jason Pinnock, DE Mykel Williams — 1 each

49ers Week 2 snap counts

Offense
71 - Colton McKivitz (RT), Dominick Puni (RG), Jake Brendel (C), Mac Jones (QB), Trent Williams (LT)
63 - Ricky Pearsall (WR)
62 - Jauan Jennings (WR)
61 - Connor Colby (RG)
56 - Jake Tonges (TE)
55 - Christian McCaffrey (RB)
41 - Luke Farrell (TE)
35 - Kendrick Bourne (WR)
16 - Brian Robinson (RB)
10 - Ben Bartch (LG), Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
9 - Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR)
6 - Brayden Willis (TE)
2 - Skyy Moore (WR)

Defense
71 - Deommodore Lenoir (CB), Fred Warner (LB), Jason Pinnock (SS), Marques Sigle (SS), Renardo Green (CB)
69 - Dee Winters (LB)
59 - Nick Bosa (DE)
56 - Upton Stout (CB)
48 - Mykel Williams (DE)
37 - Jordan Elliott (DT)
34 - Kalia Davis (DT)
28 - Bryce Huff (DE), Sam Okuayinonu (DE)
24 - Alfred Collins (DT)
17 - Yetur Gross-Matos (DT)
13 - CJ West (DT)
7 - Ji'Ayir Brown (SS)
6 - Chase Lucas (CB)

Special Teams
21 - Darrell Luter Jr., Luke Gifford
20 - Sam Okuayinonu
17 - Curtis Robinson, Isaac Guerendo, Siran Neal, Tatum Bethune
15 - Chase Lucas
13 - Brayden Willis, Jake Tonges, Ji'Ayir Brown
11 - Eddy Pineiro (K)
9 - Jon Weeks (LS), Marques Sigle, Thomas Morstead (P)
8 - Skyy Moore
5 - Colton McKivitz, Connor Colby, Dominick Puni, Fred Warner, Jake Brendel, Luke Farrell, Matt Hennessy, Spencer Burford
4 - Alfred Collins, Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis, Mykel Williams
2 - Deommodore Lenoir, Upton Stout
1 - Bryce Huff, Dee Winters, Kyle Juszczyk, Nick Bosa, Renardo Green, Yetur Gross-Matos