San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle
After a promising rookie season, George Kittle used 2018 to firmly establish himself as one of the top tight ends in the NFL. He led the league in receiving yards for the position and showed an incredible talent for making plays after the catch. Oh, and he did this without his starting quarterback for 13 games of the season.
Tight ends usually take a few seasons to reach their potential – if Kittle can improve again entering his third year, then the San Francisco 49ers will have a dominant force for the foreseeable future. He’s easily a top-three fantasy football tight end with the potential to finish the season at number one.
Dante Pettis
The hype for Dante Pettis is growing. Despite recording just 27 receptions as a rookie, there’s an expectation that Pettis could be a fantasy starter in 2019. His 17.3 yards per reception were more than Tyreek Hill and John Brown, although the sample size is obviously much smaller. Pettis’ versatility allows him to play any of the wide receiver roles and Kyle Shanahan has proven that he knows how to maximize talent and production. Pettis might not be his Andre Johnson or Julio Jones, but he might not need to be.
The 49ers let Pierre Garcon leave despite his familiarity with the system and he could prove an interesting case study, despite their differences as players. Garcon led the league in receptions with Shanahan in 2013 and, while 1,346 receiving yards might be out of Pettis’ reach, he’ll be confident that he can excel if he gets the targets.
Tevin Coleman
The 49ers have a crowded backfield. It’s difficult to get away from that. But it’s also difficult to get away from the fact that they went out and signed Tevin Coleman despite having the fifth-highest cap percentage dedicated to running backs in 2018. Coleman largely disappointed last season, topping 100 rushing yards just twice, despite high expectations following Devonta Freeman’s injury. That said, his 4.8 yards per carry was 14th among players with at least 100 carries and the highest of his career.
During his time with the Atlanta Falcons, Kyle Shanahan used Coleman much more effectively as a receiver, averaging 13.6 yards per reception in 2016. Look for more of the same in San Francisco with Coleman using his speed and change of direction to beat linebackers in coverage.
Sleepers
2019 is a huge year for Jimmy Garoppolo. How well the 49ers can compete within the NFC West primarily relies on Jimmy G. If he struggles with injury again then the 49ers might decide that the $22 million they can save against the cap in 2020 if he isn’t on the team is too tempting to resist, especially if they have a high draft pick. Garoppolo has shown that he can be a good QB and he’ll be given every opportunity to prove himself. He’s a high-risk pick, but when in the late rounds of fantasy football drafts, you could do worse than gamble on the potential that saw the team give him the big contract.
Jerick McKinnon was a popular breakout candidate a year ago, having finally landed himself a feature back role. A torn ACL in preseason denied him that opportunity, but the 49ers brought him in for a reason and, if he’s healthy, he has the potential to be a dynamic player. We don’t know who will serve what role in the 49ers offense yet but expect him to compete for snaps with Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida.
Marquise Goodwin is one of the best athletes in the NFL and fell just 38 receiving yards short of 1,000 in 2017. Injuries plagued him last year, but he’s a big-play threat every time he touches the ball and should get plenty of opportunities to show it.
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