WR Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers

HT: 6-1, WT: 216, Born: 10-3-1980, College: Florida State, Drafted: Round 2

2013 Projections

Average draft position

Current as of May 21st. [Full ADP list]

Overall: J Rodgers (118), M Vick (119), Anquan Boldin (120), J Flacco (121), S Rice (122)
Position: D Hopkins (110-WR43), J Blackmon (112-WR44), Anquan Boldin (120 - WR45), S Rice (122-WR46), E Sanders (124-WR47)
Click here for a comparison of these players.

PPR Average draft position

Current as of May 21st. [Full PPR ADP list]

Overall: A Dalton (115), M Vick (116), Anquan Boldin (117), A Bradshaw (118), K Wright (119)
Position: T Austin (110-WR42), D Moore (112-WR43), Anquan Boldin (117 - WR44), K Wright (119-WR45), S Rice (121-WR46)
Click here for a comparison of these players.

Outlook

Anquan Boldin took the league by storm as a rookie in 2003, catching 101 passes for 1,377 yards, and has been a tough, reliable NFL wide receiver ever since. He spent his first seven seasons with the Cardinals, then joined the Ravens for three seasons, where he is coming off of a Super Bowl victory against the 49ers. Indeed, Boldin was a big part of that victory, catching six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers, operating under the maxim, "if you can't beat him, sign him" will make Boldin their number two wideout this season as he lines up across from Michael Crabtree. Boldin, like Crabtree, is a physically imposing receiver who plays with the strength and determination catch the ball in a crowd and hold on after taking a hit. Bolding was never a speed burner, however, and after ten years in the league he could slow down at any time. Moreover, he's in a run-heavy offense and will have to compete for looks with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. His upside potential is therefore fairly limited. Boldin is an excellent bye-week fill-in because he's a dependable receiver who can be counted on to score a few points every week, but he lacks the dynamism that fantasy owners should look for as an every-week starter.

Latest News

49ers | Michael Crabtree suffers torn Achilles' (Wed May 22, 02:15 PM) - San Francisco 49ers WR Michael Crabtree (Achilles') suffered a torn Achilles' tendon during organized team activities Tuesday, May 21, and will undergo what could be season-ending surgery.

Our View: Bad news for the 49ers here. Good thing they added Anquan Boldin earlier this offseason. Boldin now moves into the WR1 position and the team will look for help behind him. Players like Mario Mannigham, A.J. Jenkins, and Quinton Patton will now have a bigger opportunity.
link to story   

49ers | Trio worked together in offseason (Tue May 21, 09:08 PM) - San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick and WRs A.J. Jenkins and Ricardo Lockette lived together for two months in Atlanta during the offseason, working together at a nearby training facility. And since the opening of the team's offseason program, WR Anquan Boldin has served as a mentor, helping the two receivers on route running after practice.

Our View: Jenkins was the team's first-round pick in 2012 but failed to record a catch as a rookie. He's competing with Quinton Patton and Mario Manningham to be the team's WR3. Lockette is an incredibly fast player who can be a reserve receiver and help on special teams.
link to story   

Ravens | Could use two tight end set (Thu May 9, 04:36 PM) - The Baltimore Ravens could use more two tight end sets in 2013 to help overcome the loss of WR Anquan Boldin. 'We've got some tight ends who can pick up the slack," assistant general manager Eric DeCosta siad. "Ed Dickson made some big plays last year in the Super Bowl, really played his best football in the playoffs. We're excited to see him become what we thought he was going to be. We really think this is his chance to become a really good tight end in the NFL. Obviously, we've got Dennis Pitta, we've got Torrey Smith. We've got playmakers. We're excited about what we can do on offense.'

Our View: That move would make a lot of sense. Pitta and Dickson are both talented players who create mismatch problems for opposing defense. Dickson is the better athlete and can attack the defense vertically. Pitta has the better hands and is a good route runner across the middle of the field.
link to story   

2013 Schedule

2012 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Observers thinking Boldin had lost a step going in to this season were given second thoughts on Monday night against the Bengals. Boldin looked quick off the line and strong in beating the jam. He got in to his routes quickly and was sure-handed when the ball came his way. Boldin started quickly. He recovered a Joe Flacco fumble in Cincinnati territory and was targeted early on short in routes and hitches. Boldin's best catch came on a 34 yard touchdown reception. On the play, Boldin darted down the center of the field and gained space between two defenders. Flacco deftly placed the ball in front of Boldin who ran to the end zone. The Bengals safety tried to rip the ball from his grasp but the play was reviewed and upheld. Boldin finished the day with four receptions on six targets.

Week 2 - Much like Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin wasn't really involved against the Eagles. Boldin's two receptions were catches that he didn't have to work for. His first catch was a check down throw from Flacco when he was running an underneath route across the field. Boldin caught the pass for seven yards, but didn't make a defender miss or fight forward for the first down. Boldin showed more fight after the whistle when he pushed the defender. He was fortunate not to be penalized for the action. His second reception came with only seconds left on the clock in the first half. The Ravens were trying to set up a field goal attempt and threw a quick screen to Boldin outside. Boldin caught the ball and stepped out of bounds for no gain to stop the clock.

Week 3 - Rice's biggest run of the night was negated because of a Boldin hold, but other than the gaffe the Florida State star had a nice night. His most important play of the game came in the Ravens fourth possession when he fought through a tackle to earn a first down. He also drew a holding call that resulted in an important Ravens first down.

Week 4 - After a slow start, we got the Anquan Boldin of old as the physical veteran made play after play in the second half. On a short comeback, Boldin turned upfield, used a stiff-arm and was hard to haul down on a 21-yard gain. He’s not fast but his hands are trusty and his routes crisp. He demonstrated both while bringing in a back-shoulder throw along the sideline.

Week 5 - Boldin was easily the most heavily targeted receiver but did very little with his opportunities, considering how many he had. He dropped a possible touchdown at the goal line and another bomb down the left sideline that was very well thrown by Flacco. His 43 yard gain was a thing of beauty, catching a 20 yard post in stride and then breaking two tackles to turn it into a monster game. Four catches for 82 yards was enough to pace the Ravens attack but it should have been much better.

Week 6 - Boldin caught 5 of the 6 passes that came his way against Dallas. He primarily lined up to the right although he was sent in motion often. Boldin is primarily running curls and drag routes across the middle of the field and using his speed to gain separation from the man covering him. Boldin's best catches came on a drive in the second quarter where he was targeted on three straight plays. The targets resulted in receptions of 20 yards, 14 yards, and 20 yards as the Ravens drove down the field ultimately scoring a touchdown. Despite the Cowboys best efforts to cover Boldin with different defenders, he had little trouble gaining separation throughout the game, ultimately catching a game-high 98 receiving yards.

Week 7 - Boldin should have excelled against the Texans. Cornerback Jonathan Joseph spent most of the day covering Torrey Smith and the Texans worked hard to force Joe Flacco to make quick, short passes. Both of these things should have worked in Boldin's favor yet he finished the day with a disappointing 3 receptions on 8 targets. Boldin primarily ran deep crosses and curls but, like his teammates, was the victim of Joe Flacco having very little time to set his feet and throw the ball more than a few yards at a time. Boldin's best catch came on a quick hitch to the middle of the field that resulted in a 10 yard pickup and a first down. Otherwise, he was largely absent from the game and did little to help the Ravens get back in the contest after falling in an early hole.

Week 9 - First reception was a quick curl underneath from the slot. Second reception was a crossing route underneath that went for a first down. Bolding caught a 16 yard comeback route from the slot. It was his third reception on the opening drive. Boldin caught another crossing route underneath for a first down when he used his strength to fend off Joe Haden and make the reception. Boldin made his next catch in the fourth quarter off of play action. He found a soft spot in the zone over the middle for a big play and first down.

Week 10 - Despite the Ravens passing for nearly 350 yards in the game and having their way with the Oakland secondary, Boldin’s day was rather quiet. His lone impact catch came on a third-and-long conversion with a deep post route. Four Baltimore receivers had more receiving yards than Boldin, which is not a common occurrence. Boldin saw tighter coverage than intermediate targets Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson, and Ravens focused more on deep targets Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones against Oakland than previous weeks. Boldin remains an unflashy WR4 or flex receiver, especially in PPR formats.

Week 11 - Anquan Boldin was the beneficiary of Pittsburgh’s game plan. In order to stop Baltimore’s potent deep ball, Pittsburgh defensive coordinator, Dick Lebeau matched Ike Taylor up against Torrey Smith and routinely rolled Ryan Clark to his side. Boldin found success working against the less-talented, Keenan Lewis. Boldin caught seven of his eight passes during the first half for 56 of his 79 yards. Boldin displayed his multi-faceted talent by beating both man-to-man and zone coverage. Boldin found success by running intermediate routes and absorbing hits over the middle. During his team’s fifth drive, Boldin put a nice move on Lewis and caught a slant route for 11 yards. Flacco came back to Boldin on the next play for a short four-yard gain on an out-route. During his team’s next drive, Boldin hauled in a 3rd-and-10 pass and made an impressive move on Lawrence Timmons for a first down. Boldin spun off of Timmons, propelling himself for a tough 13-yard gain. Three plays later, Flacco came back to Boldin on the same route, but Pittsburgh did not let him run freely after the catch.

Boldin secured only one second half reception, but it set-up Baltimore’s final scoring play. During his team’s ninth drive, Flacco found Boldin on a deep post-route for 23 yards. The reception helped establish some offensive rhythm as Baltimore marched down into the red zone. Flacco targeted Boldin on his lone red zone pass attempt, but the ball was thrown into double coverage and fell incomplete. During the second half, Pittsburgh opted to roll Ike Taylor to Boldin in red zone situations, so his second-half opportunities were limited. Overall, Boldin made plays when he had to and kept the chains moving.

Week 12 - Boldin had a fairly quiet game, but had a big reception in the overtime that changed field position. Boldin dropped a potential first down conversion on third down on the team’s opening drive. The ball hit him squarely in the chest, but it appeared he was late in turning his head around to find the football. He later did haul in a crossing route for a first down and then subsequently hip checked the defender and sent him flying several yards backwards as they made contact. That was his only grab of the game until OT. He was bumped at the line by the defender, which didn’t affect his route whatsoever. He kept his footing, and picked up a huge catch down the seam on third down that moved the ball from near Baltimore’s own end zone to near midfield. They didn’t score on that possession, but it did help pin San Diego deep on its ensuing possession. Boldin also had a huge contribution that won’t show up on his stat sheet, as he threw a vicious downfield block to spring the final few yards of Ray Rice’s 29-yard reception on a game-saving 4th and 29 play. 


Week 13 - Boldin's first reception went for a first down when he gained 11 yards on a curl over the middle. He was immediately hit by Keenan Lewis from behind. Boldin dropped a clear first down reception on third and two when Curtis Brown arrived with the football. Boldin made a diving reception outside the numbers after setting down between two Steelers' defenders. Boldin caught a deep pass down the left sideline on a backshoulder throw from Joe Flacco. Boldin came back to the football as the defender had no chance falling to the ground. Flacco went straight back to Boldin on the next play, but this time threw it ahead of the receiver so he could fall into the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. Boldin broke free deep down the left sideline for another big gain and a first down, but the play was brought back for a push off that Boldin used to gain separation. Boldin adjusted well to catch a tipped pass from Flacco in the flat for a short gain.

Week 14 - The veteran wideout had an incredibly efficient day at FedEx Field, catching three passes for seventy-eight yards, two of which were touchdowns. Boldin and Joe Flacco seemed to have a telepathic bond facing the Redskins, with each pass completion appearing like a simple pitch-and-catch. The two connected for completions of nineteen, twenty-eight, and thirty-one yards, respectively, as the Ravens’ air attack sliced the Washington secondary. Boldin’s touchdown catches were nearly identical, save the routes he ran. On his first score of the day, Boldin beat the often-burned DeAngelo Hall on an out-and-up route for a nineteen-yard score in which Flacco placed the ball into his hands in stride. Boldin’s second touchdown came on a thirty-one yard seam route in which Flacco again threw a perfect pitch right into Boldin’s outstretched hands. The veteran receiver almost scored on his third catch of the day as well, a twenty-eight yard catch-and-run, but DeAngelo Hall – surely not wanting to be embarrassed once again – dragged Boldin down at the Washington seven-yard line.


Week 15 - Anquan Boldin was held catchless on the day, and the major play of note that he was involved in was Joe Flacco's 95 yard pick six. Boldin was targeted on an underneath route, but Chris Harris undercut it easily. The ball likely should have never been thrown Boldin's way in the first place.

Week 16 - Anquan Boldin didn’t have many yards or even a touchdown on Sunday but managed a very impressive performance against the Giants where he made several terrific catches to keep his offense on the field. Boldin caught many out patterns against soft zones, using his big physical body to gain leverage against the defender. Boldin made a terrific play on 3rd and 18, splitting the CB and Safety on a seam route before hauling in a perfect pass from Flacco. Boldin also had good success getting inside leverage on slant patterns against NYG DB’s, punishing players who used press coverage and repeatedly picking up first downs. Boldin’s last catch was perhaps his most impressive however. Boldin made an outstanding diving catch on 3rd down, securing a pass with his outstretched arms but getting slightly banged up in the process. Boldin dominated Giants DB’s in the short passing game and his chemistry with Flacco was evident all game long. He is not a fast WR but is very physical and has excellent hands to secure passes that come his way.

Week 18 - When the game was still in doubt with the Colts, Anquan Boldin came up big. While usually thought of as a tough short-to-intermediate receiver, Boldin made his bones as a deep threat this week. In the second half, the Ravens offense made it a point to push the ball down the field. All five times Flacco threw it Boldin’s direction on deep routes in the final 30 minutes, the pair connected for big plays. Boldin had little trouble with single coverage and winning the ball in the air. In addition to catching a hail mary-like 50-yard reception to convert third-and-long, Boldin high-pointed an end zone target in a similar fashion. One long reception was called back by an offensive pass interference penalty, which would have added another huge chunk of yardage to Boldin’s final stat line. Without Boldin’s consistent big plays in the second half, Baltimore’s comfortable 15-point win would have been very much in doubt. When a pressure situation called for a play to be make, Flacco looked for Boldin down the field. After this performance, Boldin will an impact player to watch against Denver’s strong pass defense in the next round of the playoffs.

Week 19 - After Boldin’s huge game down the field against Indianapolis last week, it was back to his more typical role as a possession receiver this week against Denver. Teammates Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones exceled deep, while Boldin was by-far the leading receiver with six receptions; No other Baltimore player had more than three catches. Nothing came easy for Boldin as he saw tight coverage and three targets were broken up by defensive backs. On another target, he was unable to haul in the one-handed attempt on third down. Boldin was the sustaining element in the passing game, and considering that Baltimore completed just 18 passes, his six receptions was quite impressive.

Week 20 - head as he ran with Aqib Talib down the left sideline, while Talib was able to knock the ball away when Flacco tried to hit Boldin over the middle on third and 13. Boldin's first reception came against a backup defensive back for the Patriots after Aquib Talib left the game injured. Flacco lofted the ball into the air and Boldin extended above his defender to make the big reception. Boldin moved into the slot, before running a slant against single coverage for a 12 yard gain on second and 10. In the Patriots' redzone at the end of the third quarter, Bodlin caught a quick out route for a short gain, before shaking the defender and finding his way downfield for an extra four yards. At the goalline to begin the fourth quarter, Boldin was lined up over Devin McCourty. Flacco immediately understood the coverage and lofted the ball into the air for Boldin to go up and get. Boldin outmuscled McCourty to highpoint the football for the score. Boldin was matched up with Marquis Cole in the slot 10 yards out of the endzone. Boldin just ran straight by him up the seam and Flacco hit him for his second touchdown. An easy catch for a veteran.