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4-EYED TEAM PREVIEW: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2021)

Jonathan Klonowski

We continue in the NFC West with the San Francisco 49ers

After an injury-ravaged season on both sides of the ball, the San Francisco 49ers are back with a rookie quarterback and rookie running back. After moving up to take both Trey Lance and Trey Sermon, the big question facing fantasy managers is just how much an impact will these two rookies make?

There is very little to glean from the team’s overall offensive output last year, finishing middle of the pack in yards per play. However, with emerging young talents in the likes of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, together with an elite tight end in George Kittle and the introduction of some high-profile rookies – this team looks set to be fantasy relevant once again in 2021.

So with that being said who are the players on the 49ers on offense that could help you win a fantasy football title in 2021?

Find out now in our 49ers 4-EYED Offensive Team Preview!

Quarterback

Jimmy Garoppolo

Despite the move up to select Trey Lance in this year’s NFL draft, Jimmy G looks likely to remain as the teams’ starting quarterback in week 1 after his 2020 season was truncated by an ankle injury. Even the previous year in which he played a full season and led the team through the playoffs, there were still limited fantasy-relevant performances. In 2019, Garoppolo only had four games with at least 20 points in FanDuel scoring, according to FantasyData. While he remains the starter Jimmy G will likely be a streaming option at best, including in week 1 when San Francisco faces the lackluster Detroit Lions.

Trey Lance

The big question with Trey Lance, is when is he going to start? The third overall pick has had limited recent playing experience and it remains unclear just when he will start. Lance offers Shanahan a completely different skillset and one which should provide fantasy managers with plenty to get excited about. The North Dakota State product is a clear dual-threat – shown by his sophomore season in college in which he ran for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns. This, combined with the weapons around him and the offensive curated by Kyle Shanahan means the upside here is extremely enticing. One important aspect to note is the 49ers end of season schedule. Over the final four weeks of the fantasy season, San Francisco faces some of the worst projected defenses in the league in the Bengals, Falcons, Titans, and Texans. With this schedule, if/when Lance does start, don’t be afraid to take a chance on the rookie.

Running Backs

Trey Sermon

Despite having a fairly crowded backfield already, the San Francisco front office moved up in the 2021 draft to take Ohio State running back Trey Sermon in the third round. Sermon had a huge end to his 2020 season, pushing him up draft boards. Over his final three games, he carried the ball 70 times, rushing for 636 yards and four touchdowns. By moving up to draft him, particularly in a position in which the team has had success with later round and undrafted players, it demonstrates a clear intention to utilize him fully. As Teddy Ricketson pointed out in his rookie profile of Trey Sermon, the other three veteran running backs are all in the final year of their contract. Sermon is likely the future of this backfield and may well be the present too. If his ADP remains in the middle rounds, Sermon could be a fantastic high-upside option in this hyper-efficient zone scheme.

Raheem Mostert

Despite the addition of Trey Sermon in the draft, we know that the 49ers backfield will remain a rotation throughout the season with Raheem Mostert likely to be one of the key contributors. Mostert played in just eight games, rushing 104 times for 521 yards and two touchdowns. He added a further 156 yards and one touchdown through the air from 16 receptions. Sermon shouldering the majority of the workload may not be the worst thing for Mostert, given his injury history. Taking into account the efficiency of the 49ers run game and the multiple backs used, Mostert will likely be a solid flex option as long as he stays healthy.

Wide Receivers

Brandon Aiyuk

The 49ers' first-round selection last year presents an intriguing prospect for fantasy managers. Aiyuk certainly made the most of his opportunities in his rookie season, with several injuries keeping other skill-position players on the sidelines. He was heavily targeted throughout the season, registering four games with double-digit targets, and he turned this usage into fantasy production with seven games accumulating at least 70 receiving yards. The hope now is that after his impressive rookie season Aiyuk will take a further step forward in his second year, despite the return of both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. A top-24 finish, potentially even higher, is well within the range of outcomes.

Deebo Samuel

Deebo Samuel’s 2020 season was limited by injury after only playing in seven games. After starting the season injured he played in four games before returning with a bang in weeks 12 and 13. Over those two games, Samuel reeled in 17 receptions from 22 targets and 206 receiving yards, clearly demonstrating his upside when healthy. As it stands, he is currently being drafted as a WR3. If he manages to stay healthy there is a strong likelihood he’ll outperform that given the way he has been utilized in this system. It’s certainly a risk drafting Deebo, but it may well be a risk worth taking.

Tight Ends

George Kittle

Injuries curtailed Kittle’s 2020 season, with the two-time Pro Bowl tight-end playing in only eight games. There were still enough flashes to demonstrate why he was selected as one of the top fantasy tight-ends last season. Kittle saw at least seven targets in five games last season, including two in which he saw double-digit targets. The previous two years Kittle saw at least 100 targets and over 1,000 yards receiving. As long as he remains healthy, expect a return to these figures by the end of the season. Kittle looks likely to be the cheapest of the big 3 TEs taken and could easily mean he is the best value if he returns to his best.

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