Where Purdy, McCaffrey and Kittle Rank Among the NFL's Best Trios

Last year, the 49ers had the fourth-best offensive triplets in the NFL, according to CBS Sports.

Jan 28, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; (Left to right) San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54), quarterback Brock Purdy (13), offensive tackle Trent Williams (71), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19), running back Christian McCaffrey (23), tight end George Kittle (85) celebrate after winning the NFC Championship football game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Last year, the 49ers had the fourth-best offensive triplets in the NFL, according to CBS Sports, which defines "triplets" as a trio consisting of a quarterback, a running back and a receiver.

Heading into 2024, CBS Sports' considered Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk as the 49ers' triplets. The only teams that had better offensive trios were the Eagles, the Ravens and the Chiefs.

Now, Aiyuk is coming off a gruesome knee injury and won't be ready for Week 1, so he has been replaced by George Kittle as the team's top receiver. In addition, McCaffrey is coming off a disappointing, injury-filled season. As a result, the 49ers' triplets have fallen to No. 8 in this year's ranking.

Purdy, McCaffrey and Kittle rank eight out of 32 "triplets"

"The Niners are another team that's very difficult to rank," writes CBS Sports' Jared Dubin. "The NFL world has talked ad nauseam about how hard it is to disentangle what Purdy does from the system in which he thrives. McCaffrey is the best running back in the league when healthy, but is coming off a season in which he missed almost the entire year, for the third time in his eight professional campaigns. Kittle is as reliable and explosive as it gets at the tight end position these days. The talent alone here is enough to carry the Niners into the top 10, and there's obviously room for them to move up if CMC stays healthy."

Kittle is one of the most dangerous receivers in the NFL, regardless of position -- he should get more targets. The 49ers hold him back and always have. He produces no matter who the quarterback is.

Meanwhile, Purdy is beginning to seem like a McCaffrey merchant, meaning he's a product of McCaffrey at his peak. Now, McCaffrey seems to be past his prime. As a result, will Purdy slip into mediocrity?

These triplets could continue to fall in the rankings next year. Stay tuned.