Expectations for Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers were high entering 2020.
But through five games, it’s hardly been the banner season many expected from the 2019 NFC champions, as the team owns a 2-3 record and has gotten wretched play from the quarterback position as a whole.
After Garoppolo went down with an ankle sprain in a Week 2 win over the New York Jets, Nick Mullens started the next two games in his place, playing well in a win over the Giants before arguably the worst performance of his NFL career in a primetime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
For the second week in a row, coach Kyle Shanahan was forced to make a mid-game quarterback change in Sunday’s 43-17 blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins at Levi’s Stadium, replacing Garoppolo with C.J. Beathard, who also came on in relief for Mullens in Week 4.
Jimmy G completed just seven of 17 passes and threw two awful interceptions, as the QB didn’t look fully healthy in his return to the field against a normally porous Dolphins pass defense. A week after Mullens earned the worst Pro Football Focus grade of his NFL career, Garoppolo did the same, also earning Peter King’s dubious “Goat of the Week” award in the process.
Download and subscribe to the 49ers Talk Podcast
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Here are some of the other lows and highs from the 49ers’ Week 5 showing via PFF:
Thumbs down
QB Jimmy Garoppolo: He followed up his highest grade as a 49er (90.2 vs. Jets) with his lowest as a 49er yesterday (31.3). Garoppolo only attempted two passes outside the numbers, with suboptimal results (0-2, 1 INT) before being pulled at the half.
DE Arik Armstead: He struggled to apply pressure Sunday, forcing just one QB hurry on 27 pass-rush snaps with no sacks and no QB hits.
QB C.J. Beathard: Garoppolo's backup wasn't much better, getting a 40.3 PFF grade after replacing Jimmy G for the second half. His effectiveness especially was limited on deep throws, going 0-5 on passes 10+ yards downfield.
CBs Brian Allen and Jamar Taylor: 217 of Ryan Fitzpatrick's 350 passing yards came at the expense of Allen (5-of 6 for 124 yards, 1 TD) and Taylor (3 of 3 for 93 yards). Taylor finished with a 32.0 grade, while Allen, who also tallied a personal foul and a defensive pass interference penalty, finished with a 27.6 grade. Fitzpatrick's passer rating when thrown at Allen was a perfect 158.3.
Ryan Fitzpatrick's 88.0 overall grade is the highest so far of any QB in Week 5.
RELATED: Taylor benched, Pettis inactive as 49ers' WR depth wanes
Thumbs up
RB Raheem Mostert: His 90.2 overall grade is best of any running back so far in Week 5. 49 of his 90 yards came after contact, and he forced five missed tackles. Mostert's 89.5 overall grade on the season leads all qualifying tailbacks.
DT D.J. Jones: Earned an 87.6 overall grade in 19 snaps before leaving with an injury. Much of his effectiveness didn't show up on the stat sheet, but he did have one QB pressure and one run stop.
LT Trent Williams: After a brutal Week 4, Williams came back strong with an 86.5 overall grade. The veteran did allow one sack (and one QB hurry) but was very strong in the ground game, as a 90.7 run-blocking grade is the third-highest so far among all tackles in Week 5.
LB Fred Warner: The anchor of the 49ers' defense earned an 80.0 overall grade. Warner had six stops on the day (4 run, 2 pass) - 83.7 overall grade on the year currently ranks 4th among LBs.
DL Kerry Hyder: Had another strong week with a 74.9 overall grade, registered five QB pressures (1 sack, 2 hits, 2 hurries). Hyder's 21 QB pressures so far this season lead all 49ers defenders.
NBC Sports Bay Area 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco helped contribute to this article.