Malik Mustapha

Malik Mustapha, age 23, enters Year 3 as a depth safety for the San Francisco 49ers on a 88.4% defensive snap share, ranked #208 in Verdict’s dynasty score (12.0, ascending trend). With 44 solo tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 INT across 17 games in 2025, the 206-pound DB offers a modest IDP profile.

Mustapha logs 88.4% of defensive snaps under Kyle Shanahan’s zone-heavy 4-3 scheme, which provides a floor in this context. The 2025 baseline — 44 solo tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT, and 3 PD across 17 games — shows a modest IDP profile that scales in custom scoring where pressure and missed tackles pay.

Mustapha carried full participation in practice across every reported injury check in 2025 — no DNPs, no missed game time, and 17 starts logged at a 88.4% snap share. Zone-heavy coverage may reduce contact exposure, but structural durability remains a concern with modest IDP upside.

Snap share trends upward with weekly marks at 100.0% across most games in 2025, and Mustapha’s 88.4% average snap share provides a modest floor. Kyle Shanahan’s 4-3 zone-heavy scheme offers zone-heavy usage, which could expand IDP upside. No DB1 threat exists on the depth chart, but Mustapha’s IDP upside remains capped by his role.

Kyle Shanahan’s 4-3 zone-heavy scheme under Nick Sorensen’s DC title provides a zone-heavy usage profile for Mustapha, which may reduce pressure exposure but also caps his IDP upside. The 44 solo tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 INT across 17 games in 2025 reflect this zone-heavy scheme fit.

Rising Verdict’s dynasty score (12.0, ascending trend) and ascending snap trend (88.4% average, up) indicate Mustapha’s growing role on the 49ers’ defense.

Ceiling clears 2025’s 12.0 dynasty score if IDP upside expands beyond 44 solo tackles and 3 TFL — the combination pays in custom scoring where pressure and missed tackles pay. Floor tracks near 12.0 given locked 88.4% snap share and zone-heavy scheme fit. A mid-season injury is the only realistic path to meaningful regression below that line.