Updated: May 1, 2011
Quarterback:
1 –Alex Smith
Somehow Smith has survived the maelstrom of coaching changes, different offensive coordinators, bad quarterback play, and the first-round monkey living on his back over the years to be the starter going into the offseason. The embattled quarterback got a stamp of support from new coach Jim Harbaugh, but the heat is on now that rookie Colin Kaepernick is on his way to town. Smith completed just 59.6% of his passes with a 14:10 TD:INT ratio last year, and was benched for fellow Smith, Troy, at one point. Even if Harbaugh really is committed to Alex, he is not worth anything more than a low-end QB2 going into next season.
2 – David Carr
Carr is a poor man’s Alex Smith – a very poor man. The former top pick was not as lucky as Smith in Houston, and could stand at the back of the pack on the San Francisco depth chart very soon. He barely got on the field in 2010, racing backwards with a -2.4 rating and an awful 38.5% completion rate in just 28 snaps.
3 – Colin Kaepernick (R)
While Kaepernick may be the quarterback of the future in San Francisco, Harbaugh has staunchly supported Alex Smith as the starting QB going into 2011. It remains to be seen how many stinkers Smith needs to throw up before Kaepernick is given a shot. The dynamic rookie from Nevada could be a gem for the 49ers down the line.
Running Back:
1 – Frank Gore
Gore’s hip has potential buyers on edge, with good reason – I have heard the dreaded Bo Jackson comparison with his hip injury. Perhaps if San Francisco had not driven Gore into the ground – he was on the field for 93% of snaps and handled 90.2% of all rushing attempts until he went down – he could have avoided the injury. Gore remains one of the league’s most dynamic running backs, and one of the few feature backs left. I would wager to say he will split the workload a bit more often this season, but his value is down so he might be a bit cheaper to draft going into the season.
2 – Anthony Dixon
Dixon played a handful of snaps before Gore’s injury, and Brian Westbrook hopped him on the depth chart when Gore went down. With Gore coming back from injury and San Francisco likely looking to decrease his workload, Dixon could see a lot more playing time next season unless incoming rookie Kendall Hunter crashes the party.
3 – Kendall Hunter (R)
Perhaps planning for a future without Gore in the coming years, Hunter will be given time to develop in the 49er backfield. He notably averaged 5.9 YPC in his college career.
4 – Xavier Omon
Reserve/Future contract
Fullback:
1 – Moran Norris
The 49ers’ fullback played on 30.5% of snaps in 2010, primarily as a blocker. His rushing stats were negligible, and he caught 4 passes on 7 targets for 20 yards.
Wide Receiver:
1 – Michael Crabtree
Last season was another underwhelming one for the talented receiver, racking up just 55 catches on 92 targets for 741 yards and 6 TDs. His 59.8% catch rate was almost as bad as his as his -4.1 overall rating, but optimists are hoping Harbaugh can give the offense a boost. As long as Alex Smith is slinging the ball in the Bay Area, though, Crabtree’s value will be limited. If Crabtree can shed the diva moniker and go through a Vernon Davis-like maturation, he could see a huge improvement.
2 – Josh Morgan
The former Hokie seems to be a pleasant surprise every pre-season, raising the hopes of the 49ers faithful that the position will solidify a shaky receiving corps. His catch rate and overall rating almost mirror Crabtree’s, and thus his numbers are similarly pedestrian. Again, the quarterback is a major hindrance in his situation, but he is not worth a look in your fantasy league.
3 – Ted Ginn, Jr.
The speedy receiver’s stock took a dive when the new kickoff rules were approved by the competition committee. If it were not for his alligator arms when trying to make catches, Ginn’s value would be a much higher. As it stands, there is little fantasy value attached to the former Dolphin.
4 – Kyle Williams
Williams’ catch rate was an astounding 100%… on three 2010 snaps. The young receiver could move up the depth chart with a positive offseason.
5 – Dominique Zeigler
Zeigler played on 149 snaps, registering 9 catches on 16 targets for another lackluster 56.3% catch rate in the 49ers receiving corps.
6 – Kevin Jurovich
Reserve/Future contract
7 – Lance Long
Future/Reserve contract
8 – Bakari Grant
Reserve/Future contract
Tight End:
1 – Vernon Davis
Davis figures to be the biggest beneficiary of Harbaugh’s arrival, if his transformation to mature team leader sticks. His regression in 2010 – 56 receptions, 914 yards, 7 TDs – has diminished his value a bit, but he should still be a major cog in the San Francisco offense moving forward. He is as good up the seam as any receiver could be, and defenses will always have trouble covering him. If only his quarterback could get him the ball more often.
2 – Delanie Walker
The backup tight end was targeted a decent 41 times, though he did drop 10% of his targets. He, too, figures to see an uptick in statistics in Harbaugh’s offense, assuming Harbaugh does not pick up another tight end via the draft or free agency. Either way he is at least second banana to Vernon Davis, which is essentially worthless from a fantasy perspective.
3 – Nate Byham
Reserve/Future contract
4 – Colin Cloherty
Reserve/Future contract
Kicker:
1 – Joe Nedney
The Bay Area native is getting a little long in the tooth, exhibiting injury issues over the last couple of seasons that have the 49ers exploring options at kicker. A fairly accurate kicker averaging 86% over the past three seasons, Nedney might have seen the last of his days in San Francisco if the 49ers draft a kicker.
2 – Fabrizio Scaccia
Reserve/Future contract
Questions and comments are always welcome via Twitter – @PFF_Alex
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