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2008 Team Report: San Francisco 49ers

Quarterbacks

Starter: Alex Smith
Backup(s): Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan, Drew Olson

Starting QB: The starting quarterback job for the San Francisco 49ers is there for Alex Smith if he's good enough. As the former No. 1 draft pick of the 2005 Draft, he has had to live with the expectation of franchise savior since Day 1. This will be his first chance to run an explosive offense with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in town. Smith's previous best season was in 2006 under the stewardship of another experienced offensive coordinator, Norv Turner. Starters in Martz's offense are usually potent fantasy options; the winner of the battle between Smith and Shaun Hill should do well. To help the winner, the 49ers have acquired Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson via free agency to replace the disappointing Darrell Jackson. Add in the potentially explosive Vernon Davis and the reliable pair of Frank Gore and Arnaz Battle, and the 49ers QB will have plenty of options to improve one of the worst passing offenses of 2007. Even if Alex Smith wins the job as expected, the pressure to perform will be high. Coach Mike Nolan is on the hot seat and won't hesitate to make a change to Hill if Smith struggles.

Backup QB: Shaun Hill impressed when starting for the injured pair of Alex Smith and Trent Dilfer at the end of the 2007 season, and was rewarded with a contract extension. It would be wise to treat those performances with a grain of salt though since opposing defenses had either nothing to play for or were very poor. Hill does have a chance to win the starting job with either a poor performance from Smith or adapting to Martz's complicated system quicker than his rival. Hill has the faster release, which will be essential, and has the support of some of his teammates. An outside chance for the starting role will be J.T. O'Sullivan, who follows Martz from Detroit. Although O'Sullivan's familiarity with the scheme will be handy early on, he is not expected to pose a serious threat. He first must beat the threat from Drew Olson for the No. 3 role.

Running Backs

Starter: Frank Gore
Backup(s): DeShaun Foster, Michael Robinson, Thomas Clayton
Fullback(s): Moran Norris, Zak Keasey

Starting RB: Frank Gore still finished as a top-10 fantasy back despite playing for one of the poorer offenses in the league in 2007. New offensive coordinator Mike Martz has promised that the impressive Gore will be the centerpiece of his offense in San Francisco and likened him to former Rams star Marshall Faulk. Gore is excellent in pass protection, a very good receiver and one of the better runners in the league. If the 49ers can just improve the passing game, then Gore will do the rest. He has proven durable in his NFL career to date and handled over 300 touches in each of the last two seasons. At 25, he should be at his peak and will see the field often. Gore has the potential to be an elite back but currently lacks the touchdown totals required to reach that level. At the very least, he should be a reliable first-round pick in most drafts.

Backup RBs: DeShaun Foster was signed at barely above the veteran minimum salary in free agency to upgrade the backup role. He has demonstrated durability and the ability to handle a load in his last three seasons in Carolina. Foster isn't a threat for the goal-line touches, nor is he as good of a receiver as Gore. He should be the handcuff to Gore or a fantasy option if Gore should go down. Michael Robinson is in the mix for action as well after having his contract extended until 2012. Given the range of options Martz likes to use in his offense, the versatile Robinson should see the field occasionally. He has demonstrated the ability to take the full load for a game or two, but barring an injury to Gore or Foster, his role will be limited. Thomas Clayton faces a tough task to make the final roster, but the 49ers saw enough in him to keep him around for another year.

Fullback: Moran Norris or Zak Keasey did not trouble the fantasy community much in 2007. Norris had seven carries and six receptions, while Keasey only had two carries. Neither saw the end zone. Norris is in danger of missing the final roster as his skills deteriorated over the course of the 2007 season. Keasey is a converted linebacker and also faces a battle to make the final roster. If there is a threat to gather fantasy stats at the fullback position, he isn't on the roster yet.

Wide Receivers

Starters: Isaac Bruce, Bryant Johnson
Backups: Arnaz Battle, Jason Hill, Ashley Lelie, Josh Morgan [R]

Starting WRs: Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson are pencilled in as the starting duo, but both are far from certainties to fill those roles. Bruce is approaching his 36th birthday and after spending 14 years with the Rams, he faces a tough challenge to re-establish himself with a new franchise. Reuniting with his former coach and offensive coordinator will help significantly since Bruce played his best football under Martz's tutelage. On the other side, Johnson never established himself in Arizona as anything more than a No. 3 --a disappointing return for a first-round pick. With a fresh start in San Francisco he will be keen to show the league what he can do, but with the system requirement for precise route-running, he'll need to improve a good deal in this area. Johnson also faces threats from Arnaz Battle, Ashley Lelie and Jason Hill. If he doesn't adapt quickly, he will face a future on the bench. Overall, Johnson has an excellent chance to be a productive fantasy option, but the onus will be on him to produce.

Backup WRs: Odds are that one player from this group will be in for a good fantasy season. There is a lot of potential in this bunch to become starters, but for Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle they had opportunities last year and weren't as productive as hoped. Lelie in particular faces a tough challenge to make the roster. He has good speed, but is one-dimensional. On the other hand, Battle would be better suited to a No. 3 role. Third-receivers in the Martz system can produce excellent stats; witness Shaun McDonald in Detroit last year. Battle won't let anyone down, just don't expect quality fantasy production. Jason Hill is the wildcard among the group. He has the potential to be a force in the league, but didn't do much in his rookie season. Depending on the progress he makes in training camp and preseason, he could be anywhere from a starter to the fifth option. Josh Morgan was drafted in the sixth round and his only contribution is likely to come on special teams.

Tight Ends

Starters: Vernon Davis
Backups: Delanie Walker, Billy Bajema

Vernon Davis led all 49er receivers in receptions with 52 in 2007 (Frank Gore had 53), despite missing two games. Davis has all of the physical tools necessary to be an elite TE - wide receiver speed and the strength and power to run over defenses. His ability as a blocker will also keep him on the field for most plays. That said, so far he has disappointed those who expected him to be an elite receiving tight end by now after being drafted sixth overall in 2006. He makes far too many mistakes, has had injury problems in his two seasons and lacks maturity. New offensive coordinator Mike Martz believes these are all issues that can be addressed and will be looking to utilize Davis in a way that should please fantasy owners. Backing Davis up is Delanie Walker, who is capable in all areas and would do a good, but not great job if something were to happen to Davis (and to Billy Bajema, who is primarily a blocker).

Place Kicker

Joe Nedney : Despite having a highly accurate year (89.5% on field goals), Nedney scored only 73 points in 2007, and the 49ers ranked 32nd in kicker scoring. It was a big drop off from 2006 when he was 29 of 35 (82.9%) on field goals and added 29 PATs. That added up to an eighth place finish in kicker scoring for San Francisco. In 2005, Nedney was voted co-MVP by the 49ers, after he scored the bulk of their points. He still has the range to hit long field goals, with at least one 50+ yarder every year he's played since 1998. Nedney played in all 16 games each of the last two years. That is noteworthy considering his track record, including several year ending injuries. After eleven years in the league, his age is starting to show with a decline in kickoff distance.

Kick and Punt Returners

Kick Returners: Allen Rossum; Michael Robinson; Delanie Walker; Arnaz Battle; Josh Morgan; Robert Jordan

After five successful years with Atlanta, DB Allen Rossum has become the journeyman return specialist solution. Last year he stopped at Pittsburgh (38 kickoff returns, 23.3 avg. 1 TD). He'll take over on kickoff returns for the departed Maurice Hicks and on punt returns for the not-re-signed Michael Lewis. Numerous others have limited experience and could serve as backups. RB Michael Robinson was a backup the last two years (2 returns, 25.5 avg. in 2007). TE Delanie Walker averaged 25.6 yards and scored once for Central Missouri State in 2005. He averaged 21.0 yards on three returns for the 49ers last year. WR Arnaz Battle was a backup KR in 2004. Two rookies will hope to improve their chances of making the final roster with a strong showing on special teams: sixth round draft pick WR Josh Morgan out of Virginia Tech and undrafted free agent Robert Jordan. Neither had significant return work in college.

Punt Returners: Allen Rossum; Nate Clements; Arnaz Battle; Michael Robinson; Josh Morgan; Robert Jordan

Allen Rossum handled the majority of punt returns for the Steelers last year (36 returns, 6.4 avg., 8 fair catches). After an impressive 12.4 yard average in 2004, his numbers have declined the last three years. CB Nate Clements was the Bills' leading punt returner in 2004, but was demoted to backup in 2005. He served as a backup for the 49ers last year (7 returns, 16.4 avg.). Arnaz Battle was the team's primary PR in 2004 (31 returns, 8.6 avg., 1 TD), and a backup in 2006 (6 returns, 15.0 avg.). Returning punts was among the many things Michael Robinson did in college at Penn State. San Francisco has ranked 12th and 11th in fantasy returns the last two years.

Offensive Line

Projected Starters: LT Joe Staley, LG Adam Snyder, C Eric Heitmann, RG David Baas, RT Jonas Jennings
Key Backups: Barry Sims, Chilo Rachal [R], Tony Wragge, Jeb Terry, Qasim Mitchell

Commentary coming soon.

Team Defense

The 49ers weren't a very good NFL or fantasy defense last season. They finished in the bottom half of the league in points and total yardage while contributing very little big-play value. In standard scoring leagues, they finished 31st overall among D/STs. Head Coach Mike Nolan again tried to go back to a base 3-4 front after reworking his defensive line and linebacker units prior to last season, but injuries and average play again kept the defense from reaching its potential. The Niners made a big splash during the '08 free agent period, signing DE Justin Smith to a monster contract. The team hopes Smith will pair with OLB Manny Lawson to form a duo of pass rushers that can line up anywhere on the field. An improved pass-rush and potential multiple-front look might help to further improve the big-play prospects of linebacker Patrick Willis, and cornerbacks Nate Clements and Walt Harris. Willis exploded onto the NFL scene last season with over 130 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks. Despite the big names and contracts, this defense isn't likely to be improved enough to have an impact in fantasy leagues. If they go undrafted, however, it's worth monitoring the progress of the front seven, particularly the pass rush from Lawson and Smith. Should San Francisco get off to a hot start, they could become a good situational play during the bye weeks.

Defensive Line

Starters: DE Justin Smith, DE Isaac Sopoaga, DT Aubrayo Franklin
Backups: DE Ray McDonald, DE/NT Kentwan Balmer [R], DE/NT Ronald Fields, Atiyyah Ellison DT/NT

Starting DL: Former Bengal Smith was one of the more coveted free agents in the admittedly lacking in star power class of 2008. He signed a 6 year, $45 mil. contract, continuing a string of recent high profile signings on defense by SF (CB Nate Clements and SS Michael Lewis in 2007). While not a flashy addition, it was a critically needed one. The DL was badly in need of reinforcements, with both starting DEs departing (49ers institution Bryant Young retired and Marques Douglas left in free agency). Smith never quite lived up to the expectations of being the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft, but he is a very good, if not great player. Just 2 sacks in 2007 looks like an aberration (he averaged nearly 7 sacks per season his first six years in CIN). He is a powerful DE that plays the run well (important with Steven Jackson and Frank Gore in the division), is rarely on the ground, has a motor that never quits, and will help teammates around him make plays. Smith is a good enough athlete to stand up as 3-4 OLB at times. He turns 29 this season, slightly older than the ideal age for a free agent, but is still in his prime. Sopoaga has good size at 6'2" 325, even for a 3-4 DE (previously a NT). Far from a sack artist (averaging one a season in his three years), he should help against the run and eat blockers. Sopoaga could be shunted back inside, contingent on the development of rookie 1st round NT/DE Kentwan Balmer. Franklin was in BAL with Nolan, and is a human fireplug (6'1" 335).

Backup DL: McDonald might have been drafted higher than his 3rd round (2007) pedigree, but he slipped due to injuries to both knees at Florida. He has pretty good size for a 3-4 DE at a listed 6'3" 280. McDonald suited up in just nine games, failing to make an impact with just 3 tackles in his rookie season. He could contribute in a situational role as a nickle rusher. Rookie Balmer was the third best DT from the class of 2008. While there may have been a dropoff after consensus top two interior DL Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis, he is actually a better fit size-wise (a hulking 6'5" 295) for HC Mike Nolan's 3-4 scheme. Balmer has the athleticism and positional flexibility to give the defense scheme versatility. He can play inside in the 3-4 or 4-3, and outside in the 3-4, and his future may be as the successor to Bryant Young at DE. Balmer will be used in a rotation and could quickly push fellow converted DT Sopoaga for more playing time. Fields also has good size (6'2" 320) and can play inside or outside. Ellison was a 3rd round pick by CAR in 2005, has been waived several times and has yet to play a down in the NFL. Another man mountain, his resume included both DT/DE stints at Missouri.

Linebackers

Starters: ILB Patrick Willis, ILB Jeff Ulbrich, OLB Manny Lawson, OLB Parys Haralson
Backups: ILB Dontarrious Thomas, ILB Brandon Moore, ILB Larry Grant, OLB Tully Banta-Cain

Starting LBs: Defensive rookie of the Year Willis came with high expectations as the consensus top LB in the class of 2007, yet exceeded them with an NFL leading 174 tackles (135 solos), flashing playmaking ability with 4 sacks and 2 FFs. Tackles are not an official stat, but by any measure, Willis had one of the most dominant tackling performances in NFL history (with Hardy Nickerson and Ray Lewis). Incredibly, he put up these numbers for the ages with a mid-season hand fracture/cast. Coupling his incendiary talent with the tackle opportunities created by a league worst offense (13.7 PPG) led to a perfect storm for the 49ers sensation. A phenomenal athlete, Willis was All State in basketball as well as being Tennessee's Mr. Football. He clocked a surreal 4.3 at his Ole Miss pro day, which 6'2" 240 humans aren't supposed to do. The complete package, Willis has a constellation of exemplary intangibles. He looks like a serial Pro Bowler and may already be the best LB in the game. Ulbrich has the early edge to be the ILB sidekick to Willis. Prized 2006 1st rounder Lawson followed up an underwhelming 2.5 sack rookie season by tearing his ACL after just two games in 2007. The former college bookend to Mario Williams is another gifted athlete (competed on a high level with the N.C. State track team in the jumps and hurdles). Lawson's smarts should help in his transition from 4-3 DE to 3-4 OLB. Haralson is third in Tennessee history with 46.5 TFL (behind only the late Reggie White and Leonard Little).

Backup LBs: Ulbrich is not a lock to start at ILB alongside Willis. Thomas has the versatility to have played inside and outside both in MIN and extending back to his Auburn days (where he starred with ARI ILB Karlos Dansby). He never quite lived up to his college promise and 2nd round pedigree with the Vikings, but to be fair, he was behind some talented LBs on the depth chart (MLB E.J. Henderson is a borderline Pro Bowler and WLB Chad Greenway was a mid-1st rounder). Thomas is a physical specimen that didn't always play as fast as his tremendous athleticism suggested he should have, calling his instincts and football smarts into question. Perhaps he can enjoy more success with a change of scenery and if he is given a clearly defined role and responsibilities. Moore is a former UFA vet that has been with the 49ers for six seasons. While he has flashed ability at times (playing a more prominent role in 2005-2006), he doesn't seem to have earned the confidence and trust of the coaching staff. Rookie Grant is a local product that was a top JUCO talent before finishing his career at Ohio State. Former Patriot Banta-Cain was a free agent disappointment in 2007 (just 3.5 sacks), but is in the mix with Haralson to start opposite Lawson.

Defensive Backs

Starters: SS Michael Lewis, FS Mark Roman, CB Nate Clements, CB Walt Harris
Backups: SS Keith Lewis, FS Dashon Goldson, CB Shawntae Spencer, CB/S Reggie Smith [R], CB Marcus Hudson, CB Tarell Brown, CB Donald Strickland

Starting DBs: Ex-PHI SS Lewis led all DBs with 105 tackles in 2007 (adding 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs and 1 FF). His best season was in 2005, when he tied 1st among DBs with 93 solos (he also made the Pro Bowl in 2004). Lewis fell out of favor with the Eagles, losing his starting job the following season, reportedly over coverage deficiencies. He landed on his feet in SF, signing a contract with $10 mil. guaranteed. Lewis has outstanding size at a WLB-like 6'1" 225, the athleticism to stone ball carriers in run support and is still in his prime at 28. Roman is a journeyman with previous stints in CIN and GB before SF. His best attribute is probably his veteran experience (31), though he lacks playmaking ability (just 7 sacks, 5 INTs and 4 FFs combined in eight seasons). Former BUF CB Clements hit the jackpot in 2007, signing a reported 8 yr $80 mil. contract (more likely a still whopping 6 yr $43 mil. deal) with $22 mil. guaranteed, making him the highest paid defender in league history (since eclipsed by Dwight Freeney). He has excellent size at a SS-like 6'0" 215 and has been a rock in terms of durability (no missed starts in seven seasons). One of the more complete CBs in the NFL, Clements added instant credibility to the SF secondary. Sturdy in run support (92 tackles tied 3rd among CBs in 2007), he is also a playmaker (averaging nearly 4 INTs and 2+ FFs in his seven seasons, with 5 return TDs in that time). Harris is another journeyman who enjoyed a renaissance with the 49ers but is in the twilight of his career (34 in 2008).

Backup DBs: Lewis did some great work at SS in 2006, but his role became marginalized with the acquisition of Michael Lewis. He is still an important reserve with proven ability to fill in at a high level if pressed into action as a starter for any length of time. Goldson was a 4th round rookie in 2007 who has good size for a FS at 6'2" 210, and has a reputation as a hard hitter. He could have the talent to eventually succeed Roman. Former 2nd rounder Spencer looked like an ascendant player in 2005 (80+ tackles, 4 INTs with a return TD and 19 PD), but was outplayed by the venerable Walt Harris and pushed to a nickle CB role the past two seasons. Smith is a prized rookie that at one time was thought to be a possible 1st rounder before pedestrian 40 times relegated him to the 3rd round. Some scouts were concerned he might be a tweener without a true pro position (lacking the speed to play CB and the physical nature to thrive at S), but the 49ers thought he was great value and intend to try him initially at CB. It is a distinct possibility that S could be Smith's most natural NFL position. Hudson has the size (6'2" 200) and athleticism to play S or CB. Brown (a 5th round 2007 rookie) and journeyman Strickland round out a crowded secondary.

Last modified: 2008-06-23 20:23:31