Last season was one of those seasons for the 49ers.
Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. They had holdouts, season-ending injuries, and personal tragedies. And yet, the offense still ranked fourth in yards gained.
That's why Bleacher Report thinks the best-case scenario for the 49ers offense this season is to be dominant once again if it's healthy.
"Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey combined to play 11 games in 2024," writes Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine. "Jake Brendel and Dominick Puni were the only two starters to play all 17 games and Trent Williams missed seven games.
"In short, the Niners faced the added challenge of getting into a rhythm offensively while constantly shuffling lineups and adjusting to injuries.
"Despite all of that, they still finished ninth in EPA per play. That speaks to how high the ceiling is if San Francisco can just have better injury luck.
"Deebo Samuel is gone, so Ricky Pearsall needs to have a breakout season and Brandon Aiyuk needs to successfully recover from the knee injury that ended his 2024 campaign. But all of the ingredients are in place for another dominant unit."
Let's summarize:
The best-case scenario involves Aiyuk making a full recovery in one year from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus, catching 70 passes, gaining 1,000 yards and scoring 7 touchdowns. It also involves Christian McCaffrey having a bounce-back season, gaining 1,500 yards from scrimmage and scoring 15 touchdowns. Plus, it involves Trent Williams playing at least 14 games and Brock Purdy an George Kittle staying healthy all season.
Sounds a bit far-fetched but possible nonetheless.