One key aspect of the success of the 49ers' vaunted offense in recent years has been their ability to gain consistent yards after the catch.
NFL analyst Warren Sharp posted a wild stat Wednesday highlighting San Francisco's strength in that part of the game.
Out of all NFL pass catchers during the 2023 NFL regular season, the 49ers boast three of the top 10 players ranked by most yards after the catch over expected. In other words, San Francisco's skill players are all among the best in the league at gaining extra yards after receptions compared to what would be expected in the given situation.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Deebo Samuel (235 YAC over expected) led the NFL by a significant margin in the metric, while George Kittle (192) and Brandon Aiyuk (139) ranked fourth and 10th, respectively.
And despite being a running back, Christian McCaffrey ranked No. 22 in the NFL despite primarily getting touches as a rusher. Comparatively, he ranked third among running backs in the stat, behind only Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall.
Of course, this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has watched the 49ers in recent years -- particularly with Samuel and Kittle, two of the best at breaking tackles in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers
Likewise, Aiyuk's success in that metric illustrates another reason for his importance. While he's not known for running through defenders quite like Samuel and Kittle, his elusiveness helps him gain additional yards in a different style.
Who knows, maybe John Lynch will see that statistic and decide to finally iron out an extension for Aiyuk before the end of training camp?
Don't rule it out.