49ers’ Arik Armstead and Weston Richburg have established themselves as key players

The unsung heroes of the San Francisco 49ers in their three wins have been center Weston Richburg and defensive lineman Arik Armstead. Both players have been playing at a high level that has made them key players for the 49ers.

With the success the San Francisco 49ers have had through the first three games of the season, it is easy to overlook the underrated contributors. Yes, a big part of why the 49ers have been great has been because of their big name players like Dee Ford, Nick Bosa, George Kittle, etc. But it is not solely the headline players that are responsible for the success of the team.

Arik Armstead and Weston Richburg are two under the radar players that have established themselves as key players for the 49ers. Armstead is now becoming a recognizable name after his stellar performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the first two games of the season, he was easily overlooked because of Bosa and Ford, but Armstead has been a solid contributor to the success of the defense. Per Pro Football Focus, Arik Armstead is second in run defense among edge defenders with an 89.2 grade.

As for Richburg, he is the main unsung hero on the 49ers. As a center, Richburg has a lot of responsibilities in terms of blocking and being the mastermind of the offensive line. He’s the glue that is supposed to keep them together, which he has done a fantastic job of doing. Jimmy Garoppolo has been relatively unscathed through three games.

Some of that is credit to Richburg of his command of the group. It also helps that he has only allowed one pressure through these three games which is incredible, via Pro Football Focus. The 49ers are in a phenomenal spot since both the offensive and defensive lines are top notch. Not many teams can say that, let alone for just one of them.

It may just be only three games of excellent play from these two, but it is undeniable of the impact they have had on this team. With Weston Richburg, the offensive line operates cohesively. With Arik Armstead, the defensive line is a well-rounded unit because of the immense talent on the line. It really feels unfair at this point to be so solid on both fronts.

The coaching staff must keep these two players and their respective position groups focused. They cannot allow the early success to start getting into their heads. It'll immediately be the cause to a slump. Now that the 49ers are on their bye week, the players will get a chance to rest and recover.

The season is just picking up, but so long as Arik Armstead and Weston Richburg continue to play at a high level then the sky is the limit for the 49ers.

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