The San Francisco 49ers have had one of the more interesting starts to the 2022 season in the NFL. They have a 4-4 record, but have swung violently between looking like the best team in the NFC West, and one of the worst teams in the league. Losing their starting quarterback in Trey Lance for the season in just their second game of the year didn't help, but the 49ers have been rather confusing in the early going.

Despite that, they currently are holding onto the number seven seed in the NFC playoff picture, and appear to be in a good position to make a push for the NFC West crown over the second half of the season. The NFC West isn't nearly as strong as it was initially thought to be, leaving the door wide open for the 49ers to emerge as Super Bowl contenders over the second half of the season.

Still, there are a lot of questions left from the first half of the season, which makes picking the best and worst players on the 49ers in the early going a fairly difficult task. We decided to give it our best shot here at ClutchPoints, though, so without further ado, let's take a look at the two best and worst players from the first half of the 49ers 2022 campaign.

49ers best players

2. Brandon Aiyuk

Given all the turnover and injuries on the offense, it's tough to pick out someone who has stood out in the early going for the 49ers. Among all the chaos, Brandon Aiyuk has managed to stand out as the most consistent player on offense, and is quietly emerging as one of the most dangerous secondary wide receivers in the NFL.

Aiyuk's numbers through eight games (38 REC, 483 YDS, 4 TD) have put him on pace to set career-highs across the board, and he's been particularly good over the past three games (21 REC, 246 YDS, 3 TD). Aiyuk's development into a top target for the 49ers adds to an already exciting offense that features Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, and George Kittle. As the 49ers offense looks to become more consistent, Aiyuk should be poised for a strong second half of the season.

1. Nick Bosa

For the most part, there haven't been many players on the 49ers who have stood out for good or bad reasons this season. Nick Bosa doesn't fall in that category, however, as he's been absolutely dominant throughout the first half of the season. Even considering the fact he missed San Fran's Week 6 contest against the Atlanta Falcons, Bosa may be putting together a Defensive Player of the Year case right now.

Bosa has been a mad man through his seven games so far this season (23 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 8 TFL 20 QB hits) and he hasn't shown any signs of slowing up. He's recorded at least one sack in six of his seven games, and is consistently finding his way into the opposing offense's backfield. Bosa set a career-high with 15.5 sacks last season, and he appears well on his way to smashing through that total this season.

49ers worst players

2. Deebo Samuel

This is probably harsh, but compared to the expectations for Samuel entering this season, it's tough to not be disappointed with his play so far. Yes, he's been dealing with a hamstring injury lately, but his first half performance this season has left a lot to be desired, and for that reason he finds himself on this list.

Samuel hasn't been nearly as impactful of a receiver (32 REC, 387 YDS, 2 TD) or as a runner (24 CAR, 138 YDS, 1 TD) as he was last season, and it's clear that has been a letdown for the 49ers offense so far. Samuel has been out produced by Aiyuk in the air so far, and while there's still time to turn things around, his impact as a runner will likely decrease now that McCaffrey is on board. It will be interesting to see whether Samuel can bounce back over the second half of the season.

1. Samuel Womack III

Samuel Womack III being the worst player through the first half of the season shows that the 49ers haven't really had too many players who have been awful this season. And while it may be a bit harsh to add Womack here, his inability to hold up in coverage has thrown a huge wrench in San Francisco's plans this season.

Womack was initially projected to be the 49ers third cornerback this season, but he's struggled so much in his limited time on the field that he hasn't even logged a defensive snap for San Fran over the past two games. The 49ers have been getting by thanks to a strong safety group, but Womack's play has been disappointing so far, and it's not surprising to see him losing play time as a result.