Despite getting two weeks to prepare for the Colts, the San Francisco 49ers still fell flat in their Week 7 matchup against Indianapolis. Turnovers, penalties and the inability to sustain drives ultimately marred the 49ers in the primetime contest, dropping their season record to 2-4.
Although the weather would tell a different story, it wasn't all grim for the 49ers. Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus highlighted several players who are coming off of notable outings against the Colts. Here's a look at a few of the team's top performers despite the loss.
Charlie Woerner – 91.6 Overall Grade
In the absence of tight end George Kittle (calf), the former sixth-round pick played a career-high 30 snaps against the Colts and earned the highest grade on the team on Sunday night. Woerner hauled in all of his targets for a total of 30 yards, including a 27-yard pickup from Jimmy Garoppolo. Woerner was also key in the 49ers success in the run game, earning an 83.0 run blocking grade in Week 7.
Azeez Al-Shaair – 83.4 Overall Grade
San Francisco's undrafted linebacker earned the 49ers top grade on defense and was undoubtedly one of the best players on the field on Sunday. Al-Shaair was second on the team with nine total tackles, only trailing cornerback Josh Norman (10), while also recording five total stops (three run). The linebacker allowed just 10 yards on his two targets on the day. His most noteworthy play came on a strip sack by defensive lineman Kentavius Street that landed in Al-Shaair's hands for the 49ers second takeaway of the game and the first fumble recovery of his career.
Fred Warner – 81.1 Overall Grade
Warner's 81.1 overall grade on Sunday was his highest of the season. The All-Pro linebacker earned an 87.0 coverage grade, allowing catches on all three of his targets, but for a total of zero yards. He also recorded six total stops (three run) and garnered the fourth fumble recovery of his career in Week 7. Warner's outing earned him a spot on PFF’s Team of the Week.
Elijah Mitchell – 79.6 Overall Grade
Mitchell earned a career high grade in Week 7 while carrying the bulk of the 49ers workload in the backfield. The rookie posted a career-high 107 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Four of his 18 carries went for over 10 yards and 60 of his 107 yards came after contact while forcing two missed tackles.
Laken Tomlinson – 78.1 Overall Grade
For the second-straight game, San Francisco's left guard has been a standout along the O-line. In back-to-back contests, Tomlinson hasn't allowed a single quarterback pressure. The 49ers offensive line as a whole held up well against Indianapolis' pass rush, as Garoppolo was under pressure on just six of his 29 dropbacks (20.7 percent) and allowed just three hurries on the day.
Honorable Mentions
Moseley had a noteworthy outing that was overshadowed by a few missed opportunities. Nonetheless, Moseley allowed catches on two of his six targets for just 8 yards. The cornerback also notched four deflected passes on the day. His four pass breakups are the most by any defensive player in the NFL so far in Week 7. He finished the night with a 42.4 passer rating allowed and an 81.4 coverage grade on the day.
While the 49ers were unable to generate a consistent pass rush against Indy's top-ranked O-line, Bosa led the 49ers with four quarterback pressures, including three quarterback hits.
