Faceoff - WR Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers

Posted 8/3, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Upside - by Jeff Tefertiller

Few wide receivers come into the NFL with the fanfare of Michael Crabtree. He should start early on and provide the 49ers with a reliable receiving option. Crabtree was awesome in only two seasons at Texas Tech. Yes, he played in a wide-open offense, but it takes nothing away from his talent or the production. His catch against the Texas Longhorns last season vaulted Crabtree into the minds of many. He was unstoppable all game. For his two-year career, Crabtree totaled a whopping 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. Yes, he accumulated these statistics in only two seasons for the Red Raiders. With few other playmakers on the team, containing Crabtree was the primary objective of opposing defenses. He showed that he could be a force at the professional level.

San Francisco has plenty of players at wide receiver, but most are either past their prime or lacking in talent. It seems as though Isaac Bruce has been playing forever. While he did lead the team in receiving in the Martz offense last season, he has definitely lost a step ... or three. Brandon Jones was brought in to provide depth at the position, but he has fallen way short of expectations throughout his career. Jones is a guy that epitomes inconsistency. Plus, he is frequently injured. Jason Hill is talented but is more of a slot receiver. He had some decent games last season with Shaun Hill under center, but is an option for the slot, not to start out wide. Arnaz Battle is just roster filler at this point in his career. Josh Morgan is the only receiver that will battle the rookie for targets. Morgan played very well in preseason last year before suffering a string of bad luck with a knee injury and subsequent staph infection. Expect the 49ers to attempt to get their two talented, young receivers into the starting lineup as soon as possible. It helps that the team has no real threat at the tight end position for passes. Most targets should go to the two youngsters.

Fans of Crabtree need to cheer for Shaun Hill to win the quarterback job. He is able to make plays in the passing game while Alex Smith puts the "dink" in "dink-and-dunk". Hill has a winning record as a starter and knows how to lead his team down the field. The receivers need certainty at the quarterback position. It will hinder all of the receivers if the "battle" wages too far into preseason.

Crabtree's foot injury is now healed and he is ready for training camp. He should be ready to compete in the wide open NFC West. The division is known more for offense than defense. There will be ample opportunity for the rookie to showcase his ability. He could emerge as the primary option in the San Francisco passing offense and is worth a look as a high upside player in the middle rounds. Keep an eye on his contract status. His upside is limited if there is a holdout of any length. Rookies need the time in training camp.

Downside - by Matt Waldman

Michael Crabtree is one of the marquee players in the 2009 draft class and fantasy owners are naturally excited about him. The major issue fantasy owners perceive holding Crabtree back from immediately stepping into the 49ers starting line up and performing like an impact rookie is his recovery from the stress fracture in his foot. Despite the fact I rated Crabtree as the top, long-term receiver prospect in the 2009 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, I doubt it will be that easy for him to make an instant impact after missing so much time.

A rookie WR has to acclimate to a new quarterback, new playbook, and better opposition. Rapport with a QB and mastery of a playbook require familiarity that is second nature. This only comes with repetitions in practice, and Crabtree has missed minicamp and OTAs.

The 49ers are scaling back their freewheeling passing game to a more methodical ground attack. To be a prominent fantasy performer, Crabtree will need to become a starter. Despite his talent, that is no guarantee. Isaac Bruce and talented young receivers Josh Morgan and Jason Hill possess the downfield skill and experience to limit Crabtree to situational time as a rookie.

Remember, receiver wasn't the top need for 49ers and the former Texas A&M Aggie was considered a luxury pick that fell to them. San Francisco's offensive needs were on the line or at quarterback. Although Alex Smith has reportedly looked as good as he's ever looked since drafted No. 1 overall, temper your excitement. Shaun Hill has developed into the kind of QB a quality team values as a backup, but he's not long-term starting material. The fact there will be a training camp competition means Crabtree will even have less time to gain familiarity with the eventual starter. The veterans on the depth chart will likely adjust quicker due to their familiarity playing the pro game and repetitions with the two QBs this spring.

Crabtree demonstrated excellent hands and aggressiveness out of his breaks as a route runner in college. He's a physical player with skill sets that are a blend of Cardinals duo Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. However, he will still need to prove he can run routes at the pro level against press coverage and make more complex reads at the line of scrimmage to remain on the same page with his quarterback. The lack of practice time is a reason for concern that he won't adjust quickly enough to be a reliable option out of the gate.

Second-year players frequently admit the physical demands in the NFL were not something they were prepared for as a rookie. Since Crabtree has missed all spring and half the summer, it's likely he won't be in football shape by the time the season starts. This increases his chance to sustain nagging injuries that hamper is overall effectiveness. Add these up and Crabtree is not a rookie I want to value as an immediate low-end fantasy starter. Wait till next year.