Easily one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league, Purdy has solidified himself as a top-12 Fantasy QB thanks to averaging over 20 Fantasy points (six points per passing TD) in each of his first two seasons. In fact he's hit that 20-point mark in nearly 70% of his regular-season games. It's not because of volume -- Purdy averaged 27.8 passes per game last year, putting him 22nd among 23 qualifiers in the stat. It's what he does with the ball: Purdy was first among qualifying passers in yards per attempt (9.6), second in TD rate (7.0%) and second in completion rate (69.4%). In fact if he threw more passes more often, he'd challenge to be among the best quarterbacks in Fantasy. As it stands, he's consistent with a high ceiling in any matchup with high scoring potential. That's why he's a top Fantasy option once you're past all the QBs in the first two tiers. In fact, he's a value in one-QB leagues because you'll draft him after 100th overall. In Superflex/two-QB leagues he'll be taken in Round 2 as approximately the 10th quarterback off the board.
Purdy got his guys back when Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams signed contract extensions just prior to Week 1, but how much both will play against the Jets remains in question. It's also a brutal matchup against the Jets and former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh since the Jets were No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks last year. I would only start Purdy in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues this week.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Another tune up ahead of Week 1
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Purdy completed nine of 12 pass attempts for 96 yards and one interception in Friday's preseason finale against the Raiders.
Purdy had a better go of things in his second preseason tilt after going completing just two of six attempts against the Saints in last week's exhibition. The 24-year-old wound up completing three drives Friday before an interception off of a tipped pass ended the starter's final exhibition appearance of 2024. Preseason results rarely matter for proven starters in the NFL, so fantasy managers should focus on Purdy's stellar 4,280/31/11 passing line from his breakout 2023 campaign, given his good health and favorable fantasy situation heading into Week 1.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Should get some reps Friday
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that the starting units will get "some snaps" during Friday's preseason finale against the Raiders, Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site reports.
Purdy was on the field for only three drives during Sunday's preseason win over the Saints, in which he completed two of six pass attempts for 11 yards. It seems likely that Christian McCaffrey (calf) and Brandon Aiyuk (contract dispute) will remain sidelined Friday, but McCaffrey is still on track to suit up Week 1 versus the Jets. Star pass-catchers Deebo Samuel and George Kittle figure to represent Purdy's top receiving options Friday. With Ricky Pearsall (shoulder) still sitting out Tuesday's practice, though, it's notable that Purdy has had almost no opportunities throughout training camp to build chemistry with the rookie first-round pick.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Limited work in preseason debut
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Purdy completed two of six pass attempts for 11 yards in Sunday's preseason win over the Saints.
Purdy made his preseason debut while a myriad of his teammates remain resting in anticipation of the regular season. The 24-year-old didn't get much work in the three drives he was on the field for, but no one should be evaluating the Iowa State product on what likely will be his lone preseason appearance of 2024. Once the regular season gets under way, Purdy will have his full arsenal of playmakers to dissect opposing defenses with.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: In line to suit up Sunday
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday that most of the 49ers' starters, including Purdy, will play 1-to-2 possessions during Sunday's preseason contest versus the Saints, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
After sitting out San Francisco's exhibition opener last Saturday at Tennessee, Purdy and healthy starters like WR Deebo Samuel and TE George Kittle will be out there this weekend. However, regulars like RB Christian McCaffrey (calf) and WR Brandon Aiyuk seem unlikely to see the field Saturday, barring the latter's contract dispute receiving clarity before then. Purdy is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while adding 144 yards and two more scores on the ground in 16 regular-season games.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Most starters not playing Saturday
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said most of the 49ers' starting team, which Purdy headlines, will not participate in Saturday's preseason opener against the Titans, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Shanahan didn't specifically rule Purdy out, as he left a window open for some starters to see action, but it seems safe to say the 24-year-old signal-caller won't be risked in exhibition action Saturday without the rest of the starting offense around him. His supporting cast could also be in flux, with Brandon Aiyuk trade talks heating up, while 2024 first-round wideout Ricky Pearsall aggravated a shoulder injury Tuesday, Lombardi also reports. Purdy has drawn praise and has reportedly been working on improving his accuracy while on the move, but he won't get a chance to show that off in game action quite yet.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Honing skills in training camp
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Purdy was spotted putting in extra reps with the training staff following the 49ers' last team practice in an effort to improve his mobile throwing accuracy, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
When asked about the optional throwing session, Purdy referenced the team's upcoming off day while adding that he felt he needed to improve on his accuracy while evading pursuers on the run. The 24-year-old is coming off of an MVP-caliber season in which he completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdown passes over 16 regular-season games, so the fact that he isn't resting on those laurels should excite potential fantasy investors for the 2024 season. There shouldn't be too many doubters left regarding Purdy's elite status both as an NFL player and asset in fantasy following his meteoric rise to stardom in San Francisco as the last pick of the 2022 Draft.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Plays well in first SB appearance
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Purdy completed 23 of 38 pass attempts for 255 yards and a touchdown while adding three carries for 12 yards in Sunday's 25-22 overtime loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
Purdy was ready for the big moment and handled everything defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo could throw at him despite falling short in the overtime period. The rising star QB surrendered just one sack for a loss of four yards while finishing 10 rating points behind Patrick Mahomes (99.3), whose final touchdown drive for Kansas City earned him the game's Most Valuable Player award. Even with the heartbreaking finish, Purdy's 2023 regular season can only be described as a smashing success after he completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns across 16 starts. San Francisco should still have multiple star playmakers surrounding the young quarterback next season as the team looks to get back to the big game in 2024.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Shows poise in comeback playoff win
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Purdy completed 20 of 31 pass attempts for 267 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Sunday's 34-31 win over Detroit in the NFC Championship Game.
Purdy put his athleticism on display with five rushing attempts for 48 yards, with his biggest scramble of 21 yards coming on third down in the fourth quarter to help San Francisco secure victory. He overcame an ugly pick in the first half to rally his team back from a 17-point deficit coming out of the half. The last pick in last year's draft has now produced two comeback victories in the playoffs to lift the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Purdy can continue disproving any remaining doubters with a win over the Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 11 in the final game of the 2023 season.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Downgraded to out for Week 18
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The 49ers list Purdy as out for Sunday's game against the Rams in a coach's decision, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
With the 49ers having already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that Purdy wouldn't play in Week 18 while nothing was at stake in the regular-season finale. Despite Shanahan's declaration, Purdy didn't head into the weekend with a designation, but the 49ers have since officially ruled him out ahead of Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. Sam Darnold will draw the start in Purdy's stead, while Brandon Allen will serve as his backup. Purdy will return to action in the divisional round of the playoffs on Jan. 20 or 21 and will conclude the regular season with a 69.4 percent completion rate for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go with 144 rushing yards and two scores on 39 carries over his 16 starts.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Logs full walkthrough Wednesday
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Purdy (left shoulder) was listed as a full participant on Wednesday's estimated injury report, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
In both of the last two contests, Purdy has been diagnosed with a stinger in his non-throwing shoulder, and while he was cleared to return Week 15 at Arizona, he was deemed questionable to return to this past Monday's 33-19 loss to the Ravens but was ultimately kept on the sideline for the remainder of the contest. After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahn downplayed the decision to finish the game with backup quarterback Sam Darnold under center and also said that he was confident in Purdy's availability for the 49ers' next game Sunday in Washington, per NFL.com. San Francisco likely will continue to keep a close eye on Purdy, but his full listing to kick off Week 17 prep is a positive sign that he'll indeed lead the team's offense this weekend.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Exits to medical tent
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Purdy exited Monday's matchup with the Ravens in the fourth quarter due to an undisclosed injury, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports
Purdy left the game and headed straight towards the blue medical tent. He jogged off the field under his own power, so it is unclear what issue he is dealing with. The MVP candidate was subsequently replaced under center by Sam Darnold.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: QBs to Start
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Purdy is making a strong case for NFL MVP with his play of late for the surging 49ers. He's scored at least 29.8 Fantasy points in three of his past four games and has at least 296 passing yards in four of his past five outings. His worst outing over that stretch was Week 12 at Seattle when he passed for just 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception and only scored 12.5 Fantasy points. But he'll do much better in the rematch with the Seahawks this week. Purdy has never scored fewer than 20 Fantasy points in all eight home games he's started in San Francisco going back to last season.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Catches fire after slow start
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Purdy completed 19 of 27 pass attempts for 314 yards and four touchdowns in Sunday's 42-19 win over Philadelphia.
You couldn't tell from his final stat line, but Purdy struggled at the onset of Sunday's contest and finished the first quarter with negative net yards. The sophomore starter showed tremendous poise in a hostile road environment when he came out in the second quarter and rattled off six consecutive touchdown drives, four of which he ended with a scoring toss. Purdy has now thrown 11 touchdowns with just one turnover in four games since the 49ers' Week 9 bye. The lone interception came Week 12 against the Seahawks, who Purdy will face in a rematch next Sunday at Levi's Stadium.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Bounces back with three TDs in win
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Purdy completed 19 of 26 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 34-3 win over the Jaguars.
Purdy threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk in the first quarter, added a 66-yard touchdown to George Kittle in the third and rounded out the scoring with a 22-yard connection to Kyle Juszczyk in the fourth. Christian McCaffrey had his 17-game touchdown streak snapped, but Deebo Samuel (shoulder) made his first appearance since Week 6 and added a 23-yard rushing touchdown to Purdy's trio of passing scores. After snapping a three-game losing streak Sunday in Jacksonville, Purdy will bring a 15:5 TD:INT into San Francisco's Week 11 home game against the Buccaneers.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Listed as questionable, should play
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Purdy is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Cincinnati, though head coach Kyle Shanahan is optimistic the quarterback will clear the concussion protocol Saturday and start this weekend, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
Purdy entered the protocol following Monday's loss to the Vikings, and due to the quicker turnaround than usual for the Week 8 game, he initially didn't appear to be on track to be available against the Bengals. However, Purdy has made rapid progress since being diagnosed with the brain injury, as he was cleared to return to practice Thursday as a limited participant after his concussion symptoms dissipated. He then took another step forward Friday, when he practiced as a full participant. In order to play Sunday, Purdy will still need clearance from an independent neurologist, something Shanahan expects to happen Saturday but can't actually be sure about. If Purdy isn't cleared, the 49ers will turn to Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback heading into Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Officially limited Thursday
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Purdy (concussion) officially was a limited practice participant Thursday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
In the wake of Monday's 22-17 loss at Minnesota, Purdy developed concussion symptoms on the flight back to San Francisco, which was revealed by coach Kyle Shanahan prior to Wednesday's practice, according to Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News. While Purdy was absent from that session, he was spotted rolling out and throwing a pass Thursday, per Wagoner. Purdy thus has taken a tangible step in his quest through the protocol for head injuries, but considering the timing of the diagnosis on a short week of prep, he may be up against it to be available Sunday against the Bengals. If Purdy isn't able to gain clearance to play this weekend, Sam Darnold will direct the 49ers offense.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Returns to practice Thursday
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Purdy (concussion) is taking part in Thursday's practice session, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Shortly before the team's first practice of the week Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that Purdy entered the NFL's concussion protocol after being evaluated at some point following Monday's 22-17 loss to the Vikings. With just five days off between games than the usual six, Purdy is facing an uphill battle to gain clearance to start this Sunday against the Bengals, but his presence at practice Thursday at least keeps the door open for him to play. The 49ers will reveal after practice concludes whether Purdy was a limited or full participant, but the signal-caller will still need to gain clearance from an independent neurologist in any case before exiting the protocol. Sam Darnold took all the first-team reps at Wednesday's walk-through session and would be in line to start Sunday if Purdy isn't available.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: In concussion protocol
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy entered the concussion protocol after Monday's 22-17 loss at Minnesota, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Purdy was his typical efficient self in Week 7, completing 21 of 30 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, but he also threw a pair of interceptions, the last of which sealed the game. He then began to experience concussion symptoms on the flight back to San Francisco, clouding his status on a short week to prepare for Sunday's matchup with the Bengals. Shanahan told Matt Barrows of The Athletic that backup quarterback Sam Darnold will handle the first-team reps Wednesday, but Purdy will take part in some of the walk-through session.
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49ers' Brock Purdy: Two late INTs prove costly
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Purdy completed 21 of 30 pass attempts for 272 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Monday's 22-17 loss to the Vikings. He also recorded 19 rushing yards on five attempts.
The 49ers got off to a slow start on both sides of the ball Monday, but Purdy and company righted the ship on offense to give the team a chance at victory in the fourth quarter. That's where things fell apart for the young QB after he threw interceptions on consecutive promising drives, resulting in San Francisco's second upset loss in as many weeks. Purdy has thrown three interceptions in these two losses, matching the combined total from his 11 previous appearances (all wins) dating back to his incredible run as a rookie last year. Some of the shine may have worn off of Purdy's rising star given his recent struggles, but he could restore its luster with a strong performance against the Bengals on Sunday.
