"They were the most injured team in football," Kimes noted. "Despite that, still finished top 10 in DVOA, 12th in EPA, 12th in success rate. Tons of explosives, hilariously. They were third in percentage of plays that went over 10 yards."
Kimes went on to praise George Kittle, emphasizing how vital the All-Pro tight end is to head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. She shared an eye-opening statistical tidbit that highlights Kittle's elite production.
"George Kittle, amongst all pass catchers last year, was first in yards per target," Kimes said. "Over a quarter of his catches went for 20 or more yards, by the way."
By comparison, the next tight end on the list in yards per target was rookie Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders, ranked all the way down at No. 31.
Kimes added, "He (Kittle) was fourth league-wide in yards per route run. The only other tight end above 20 was Trey McBride. George Kittle is still so good."
Additionally, Kimes praised Shanahan's play-calling and offensive system, stating that it's difficult to bet against a Shanahan-led unit finishing outside the top 10.
However, co-host Ben Solak expressed a bit more skepticism about the 49ers' outlook.
"It's just so hard to have faith in [RB Christian] McCaffrey [being] back healthy," Solak said, "[WR] Brandon Aiyuk returning back healthy from a pretty traumatic knee injury, enough games of [LT] Trent Williams, enough games of George Kittle, enough high-caliber play from [QB] Brock Purdy, and then also the rest of this offensive line."
Solak stressed that aside from Williams and second-year guard Dominick Puni, there is a lot of uncertainty with the offensive line tasked to protect Purdy, who is now one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.
"There is one certainty, and it is that Kyle Shanahan is good," Solak added. "And then, at every other position, I have reasons for moderate to severe doubt."
For Kimes, the 49ers' offensive success hinges heavily on Aiyuk returning to form. The wide receiver suffered ACL and MCL tears in October, cutting short a season that started well below his usual standard. Kimes hopes Aiyuk can bounce back to his dominant 2023 level, when he recorded 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
"Because when he looks like Aiyuk, he has a really good pairing with Brock Purdy, who was willing to throw him the ball deep," Kimes said. "He's there for him on extended plays."
With training camp on the horizon, the health and performance of stars like Aiyuk, Kittle, McCaffrey, and Purdy will determine whether the 49ers can live up to Kimes' top-10 expectations.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Report: 49ers TE George Kittle dealing with mid-to-low ankle sprain
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is dealing with a "mid-to-low ankle sprain" sustained during Monday night's 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts. 49ers tight end George Kittle is dealing with a "mid-to-low ankle sprain," per... -
49ers injury update: George Kittle has 'a chance' to play vs. Bears
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle avoided a worst-case scenario after suffering an ankle injury Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Kittle sustained a mid-to-low ankle sprain rather than a high-ankle sprain, which... -
49ers injury news: Postgame updates on George Kittle, others after win vs. Colts
The San Francisco 49ers picked up a decisive 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, improving to 11-4 on the season. However, the victory did not come without some injury concerns. Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the media after the game and provided several... -
49ers vs. Bears: George Kittle won't practice Wednesday, Ricky Pearsall returns
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is dealing with an ankle injury he suffered during Monday night's win over the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Kittle will not practice on Wednesday as the team begins preparations for Sunday night's Week...