The first half of the 2024 NFL regular season has concluded San Francisco 49ers.

They enter Bye Week with a 4-4 record at midseason. This makes it the perfect time to hand out midseason awards as the 49ers enjoy their time to rest and recuperate. Sports Illustrated’s 49ers list their most valuable players, surprises and disappointments on offense and defense at midseason.

José: It has to be George Kittle. How could it be anyone else but him? He has been the team’s most consistent and dominant player since Week 1. This season we have seen Kittle perform better than ever. He’s a tremendous blocker in the run game, as always, but most importantly he’s outstanding as a receiver. He has been the 49ers’ best passer this year, especially in the red zone. According to Next Gen Stats, Kittle caught 12 of 13 passes for 76 yards and six touchdowns there. Giving Kittle more space in the second half of the season is one of the keys to the 49ers scoring more points and returning to a top-flight offense.

To donate: Kittle is the correct answer for all the reasons Jose mentioned, so I’ll give an honorable mention: Jordan Mason. If he hadn’t stepped up, the 49ers would have been in deep trouble through the first eight games of the season. Heading into Week 1, the 49ers thought they could keep Christian McCaffrey on the roster for the entire season, but bilateral Achilles tendinitis kept him off the field. Additionally, Elijah Mitchell is on Injured Reserve and Isaac Guerendo isn’t quite ready to carry the full load in the running game. Through eight games, Mason has been the NFL’s third-leading rusher behind Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. No bad.

José: How about the guy who single-handedly kept the 49ers alive against the Vikings in Week 2? I mean none other than Fred Warner. He’s been a beast this season. Like Kittle, Warner is having arguably his best season. It’s probably because he knows he has to do it since he’s the only effective linebacker the 49ers have. He recorded four forced fumbles, three pass breakups and two interceptions. This is only half of the season played. These numbers will definitely increase in the second half. Even more impressive is that Pro Football Focus rates Warner as the best defensive back in the NFL. A defender shouldn’t be this elite at pass protection. Warner continues to be a mind-blowing actor.

To donate: Again, Jose is 100 percent right, so I’ll give an honorable mention: Deommodore Lenoir. He has quietly become the 49ers’ best player in the secondary and one of the top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL. Through eight games, he allowed just a 63.3 quarterback rating when targeted. Because he is extremely self-confident and does not back down from anyone. And on a team suffering greatly from a Super Bowl hangover, Lenoir is one of the few players who has been a lock all season. Nobody plays harder than him.

José: My vote goes to Brock Purdy. I never would have imagined that he would be a player who consistently throws to the middle of the field and beyond the sticks. But that’s exactly what he’s been doing this season, along with making a ton of plays with his legs. It was impressive to see him grow in those areas, probably because he didn’t have Christian McCaffrey. Another thing that is surprising to see about him is how much pressure he puts on himself. Purdy is usually mentally strong, but this year he seems to have some level of lucidity. As great as his plays with his legs and deep throws are, he spams a bit too much. He needs to find that balance and remember that he has great teammates in the dumps who can do the job for him.

To donate: I’m going with Dominick Puni. He is a rookie third-round draft pick who played every position except right guard in college and is currently one of the best right guards in the league. Come on figure. Through eight games, Puni hasn’t given up a sack or even a quarterback hit. He was so good that suddenly right tackle Colton McKivitz was no longer a full liability in pass protection. Call it the Puni Effect.

José: Rookie safety Malik Mustapha wins for me. I wasn’t very keen on him when the 49ers drafted him. He has tremendous, hard-hitting aggression like an old-school safety, making him perfect for playing close to the line of scrimmage. It looked like he would need to develop better coverage skills. But the 49ers mostly use him at guard, and he’s done an excellent job there. The speed and range Mustafa showed was astonishing. He was targeted 10 times and allowed only two catches for 26 yards. Mustafa has been one of the bright spots on the 49ers’ defense. As NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal once said, “I owe you an apology. I wasn’t familiar with your game.”

To donate: I have to go with third-year defenseman Sam Okuayinönü. He was on the practice squad until September 28. He now has 3 sacks and 9 hurries on just 96 pass rushes. And he can run from the edge or inside. That means he’s the 49ers’ second-best pass rusher behind Nick Bosa. And no one had ever heard of this man until a few months ago. What an extraordinary story. It should start after the bye week.

José: Head coach Kyle Shahanan, come down and accept this award. How did the 49ers become the fifth-worst scoring offense in the red zone this year? Not having Christian McCaffrey is definitely not a valid excuse. The 49ers still have more offensive firepower than more than half the league. He has all the ingredients for a great offense. But he struggles to keep them consistent. Now some of the problems stem from Purdy. But Shanahan needs to give him easy throws again and open up the scheme’s receivers. The 49ers did this in the second half against the Cowboys and it definitely worked. Shanahan can’t use McCaffrey as his “spinach” when he returns, like he’s “Popeye.” If that’s the case, he’s an overrated manager. Figure out how to get this out of Bye and get the offense back to elite form.

To donate: I can’t dispute Jose’s thoughts on Shanahan. However, I think Brandon Aiyuk was a much bigger disappointment before suffering an ACL and MCL tear. Aiyuk sat out the entire season because he wanted $30 million per season instead of $28 million per season. If he had accepted $28 million per capita, he could have gone to training camp and been ready for the season. But he was worth every penny he could and was extremely rusty in the first seven games of the season. Even more, he dropped the pass while wide open. He also has a contract for 4 more seasons. Ahh.

José: There were a lot of expectations at safety for Ji’Ayir Brown heading into his second year. He showed a lot of promise as a replacement for Talanoa Hufanga last year and was ready to take the next step. The next step is yet to be seen. Brown has been a very disappointing player this year. He was targeted 24 times and allowed 14 catches for 236 yards. His passer rating allowed is a staggering 102.1. Brown is a covered liability. He’s being outdone by a rookie. Luckily, he made a sweet interception against the Cowboys. Hopefully this will allow him to progress further in the second half of the season.

To donate: The 49ers are paying Nick Bosa $34 million per season to dominate and close games, and he’s currently doing neither. He’s still under a lot of pressure, but he has just 4.5 tackles in eight games and leads the 49ers in missed tackles with 10. Suddenly, he lacks the urgency and attention to detail that made him great in his youth. He picks the weaker of the opponent’s two offensive tackles the entire game and still doesn’t make a big impact. The 49ers need the old Bosa.