The San Francisco 49ers have some talented players on their roster, but only a couple of them are in the conversation for the best player at their position in the league, and one of them is linebacker Fred Warner.
On Thursday, Warner came in at No. 54 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026. That’s actually a bit of a drop from No. 16 on the 2025 version, but after missing the final 11 games of the season last year, that’s still a lot of respect that he’s receiving from his peers.
Prior to the 2025 season, Warner had earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in three straight years. Last year, he became the highest paid linebacker in the league and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 2 before suffering the season-ending dislocated and broken ankle in Week 6.
It was incredible to hear what other players in the league think of Warner in the announcement video.
“He’s a guy who you have to be aware of at all times,” Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride said. “He’s a guy who can cover anybody. He’s also a guy who is very physical and can stop the run.”
49ers offensive tackle Trent Wiliams also called a “fountain of knowledge and a tone-setter” on the 49ers as well as “the best linebacker in the league and probably one of the best to ever play.”
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers star falls a bit on NFL Top 100 list due to significant injury
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Masala, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
