The San Francisco 49ers' offense hasn't performed at the level most have come to expect this season, yet it has been another objectively strong season for quarterback Brock Purdy.

Purdy, who headed into Week 10 ranked 12th in the NFL by the rbsdm.com composite, which combines Expected Points Added per play and completion percentage over expectation, has largely continued to impress after authoring a campaign that had him in the MVP mix last year.

He has done so despite being without the other 49er who was under MVP consideration in 2023, running back Christian McCaffrey, whose absence with Achilles tendinitis has forced Purdy and the 49er passing game to live largely off lower percentage throws.

Purdy is second only to Anthony Richardson in intended and completed air yards per attempt, per NextGen Stats. He entered Week 10 with 30 pass completions of 20 yards or more despite getting distinctly less yards after catch from receivers than in recent years. 

Even with his success on more difficult throws, Purdy has not been without his flaws in 2024, though a key one could be addressed by the return of McCaffrey, who is on course to make his season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Indeed, with McCaffrey unavailable for the first eight games, Purdy has struggled to find his checkdowns when under pressure, with that problem directly contributing to the 49ers' surprise Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite being pressured 107 times, the seventh-most in the NFL, going into Week 10, Purdy's checkdown rate of 11.5 percent ranked 24th of 38 quarterbacks ahead of Thursday Night Football, per FTN Fantasy.

With the best receiving back in football returning to the lineup, that ratio should improve, and Purdy gave a detailed explanation of how McCaffrrey's presence helps him against pressure.

Asked how McCaffrey can help him against a blitz-heavy Tampa Bay defense that is likely to throw a lot of different pressure packages at him, Purdy provided a detailed explanation.

He told his Thursday press conference:

"I think it’s always nice knowing you have Christian, obviously for checkdowns and stuff as a running back. And then they have to account for him for sure and can open up other guys in the pass game. But more than anything, we have really good playmakers across the board and we’re going to try to get the ball into all our guys’ hands at the right time and the right situation. It’s always nice though, knowing that I can go through my read and come back down to Christian. But at the same time, they blitz and stuff, so we’re going to have to have him in pass protection, and our other running backs stepping up and doing their job as well. But that’s the name of the game. They’re going to pressure and try to get you off guard and off schedule and we’ve just got to be on top of our assignments."

McCaffrey changes the 49er offense in so many ways. In addition to being one of the NFL's most explosive and dynamic runners, he dictates coverage because of his impact as a pass-catcher both out of the backfield and lined up as a formation as a receiver. 

His skills in the latter regard should greatly aid a quarterback who, per Sumer Sports, ranks a disappointing 18th in EPA per play versus man coverage among quarterbacks with at least 50 such plays and an offense that has slipped to 28th in red zone efficiency after finishing first last year, with McCaffrey's gravity likely to open up space for others in the congested area.

Beyond that, his duplicity, combined with that of wide receiver Deebo Samuel, greatly expands the offensive menu for the 49ers as they look to settle into a more typical rhythm on that side of the ball.

But arguably the most important factor of McCaffrey's return is the confidence it should give Purdy to take the easy throws he has been all too reluctant to hit when the receiving option out of the backfield has been Jordan Mason or Isaac Guerendo.

McCaffrey is a checkdown weaponizer, a back who takes dump offs and consistently turns them into significant wins for the 49er offense. As such, Purdy will probably soon be throwing a lot more of them as he looks to lead San Francisco to a second-half surge.

49ers’ Khalil Davis could achieve rare and perhaps unwanted feat following trade from the Texans

Only one other player has done it.