#181 overall · SF · 93.8 projected half-PPR pts · -35.2 Draft Value
San Francisco 49ers — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
The case for drafting him
The San Francisco 49ers carry a recognizable name and a recent track record that includes genuine defensive production. In 2023 they posted 48 sacks, 22 interceptions, and forced 10 fumbles — numbers that made them a legitimate fantasy asset. The three-year averages (2023–2025) still show 34.7 sacks, 13 interceptions, and 12 forced fumbles per season, which reflects a unit that has, at its best, been capable of generating turnovers and pressure at a meaningful rate. For a drafter who believes the 2023 ceiling is more representative of this unit's talent than the more recent seasons, there is a version of this roster worth monitoring late in a draft.
What the model projects
The projection is 93.8 half-PPR fantasy points for the 2026 season. The draft value is -35.2, placing the 49ers DST at DST24 and #181 overall. They sit in Tier 9. Those numbers reflect a unit that projects below replacement level at the DST position on a 12-team half-PPR board. Their bye week falls in Week 8.
| INT | Sacks | FF | FR | TD | Saf | PA | Half-PPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 22 | 48 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 298 | 122.0 |
| 2024 | 11 | 36 | 13 | 6 | 2 | — | 436 | 95.0 |
| 2025 | 6 | 20 | 13 | 10 | 1 | — | 371 | 71.0 |
| 3-yr avg | 13 | 34.7 | 12 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 368.3 | 95.7 |
The range of outcomes
The three-year stat history illustrates how wide the outcome band can be for this unit. Sacks have ranged from 20 (2025) to 48 (2023). Interceptions have ranged from 6 (2025) to 22 (2023). Points allowed have ranged from 298 (2023) to 436 (2024). Fumbles recovered have ranged from 6 to 10. The 2025 season — 20 sacks, 6 interceptions, 371 points allowed — represents the floor that is now part of the recent record. The 2023 season represents the ceiling. The gap between those two poles is substantial, and the three-year averages (34.7 sacks, 13 interceptions, 368.3 points allowed) land closer to the middle of that range than to either extreme.
How to draft him
The 49ers DST is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to carry a market ADP. At DST24 and #181 overall with a draft value of -35.2, this is a unit that projects below replacement level. The standard approach for a DST in this tier is to treat it as a late-round flier at best — a streaming option rather than a roster anchor — and only if you have a specific reason to believe the 2023 production profile is more predictive than the 2024–2025 trend. Their Week 8 bye is a scheduling factor worth noting when setting your roster plan.
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Questions drafters ask
The projection is 93.8 points with a draft value of -35.2, ranking them DST24 and #181 overall in Tier 9. That places them below replacement level at the position, which means the model does not expect them to return value relative to what is available at DST in a standard 12-team format.
The three-year averages (2023–2025) are 34.7 sacks, 13 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, 7.3 fumbles recovered, and 368.3 points allowed. The trend has moved in the wrong direction: sacks fell from 48 in 2023 to 36 in 2024 to 20 in 2025, and interceptions dropped from 22 in 2023 to 11 in 2024 to 6 in 2025.
There is no market ADP available — the unit is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to produce one. Given their DST24 rank and below-replacement-level draft value, they are best treated as a late-round streaming candidate if drafted at all.
Their bye falls in Week 8, which is a factor to account for when planning your streaming schedule if you do roster them.