The 49ers may not have a roster loaded with the flashiest defensive names, but a few younger pieces are starting to change the feel of that side of the ball. Three defenders who were buried in smaller roles earlier in the season are now forcing their way into the conversation, and San Francisco could finish stronger if it keeps leaning into what they’re bringing.
Williams is the easiest case to explain. He’s coming back from an ACL injury and only made his debut last week, so the limited workload makes sense.
Even in that short look, though, the defense has looked sharper when he’s out there. Without Williams on the field, the 49ers are allowing a 44.6% success rate.
In his snaps this year, that number drops to 29.8%. Opponents are also going from 5.1 yards per play to 3.3.
The sample is still small, but the impact is obvious enough that San Francisco needs to keep expanding his role.
Dugger’s path has been different. The rookie began the year in a very small role, then got thrust into much heavier action over the past two weeks because Dre Greenlaw was suspended.
The results have been encouraging. The defense’s success rate with Dugger on the field is 42%, compared with 43.6% without him.
The more telling split comes in expected points allowed, which shifts from -0.014 without Dugger to -0.107 with him. The defense has been more efficient when he plays, and that should keep earning him snaps.
Mustapha has gone from a quiet early-season presence to a much more central piece over the past two weeks, starting in place of the injured Marques Sigle. His tape is backed up by the numbers.
When he is not on the field, the 49ers allow a positive EPA. With Mustapha playing, that figure drops to -0.201.
The success rate allowed falls from 47.9% without him to 36.3% with him, and yards per play decline from 5.1 to 4.6. He’s been a heat-seeking missile and a game-changer when he is on the field.
The three haven’t shared the field together often, but when they do, the defense has looked noticeably better. San Francisco is allowing a 33% success rate in those snaps, down from 47%, and yards per play fall from 4.9 to 4. Williams is set to play more, and as Sigle and Greenlaw return, the next question is how much Dugger and Mustapha can still stay in the mix.
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