The San Francisco 49ers have multiple players that can boom in fantasy football but are also unpredictable. Kyle Shanahan‘s use of a running back committee creates a hard to predict backfield. George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk could take production away from each other making it challenging to foresee their success in 2021. The 49ers drafted Trey Lance and Trey Sermon in the offseason, which adds even more unpredictability to the team. Let’s take a look at what to expect from each 49ers’ fantasy-relevant players.
Make sure to check out all of our other 2021 Fantasy Football Previews.
Quarterbacks – Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance
Garoppolo is expected to be the starting quarterback for Week 1 in San Francisco. Last year, he spent a majority of the season injured and only averaged 11.56 fantasy points per game when he played. Garoppolo is not a quarterback worth taking in drafts unless looking for a backup in deep leagues since higher upside options exist.
Lance is one of those players that could be a league winner if he is stashed for later on. Although Garoppolo is the starter early on, if he struggles or gets injured, Lance is the next man up. He can make plays with his legs and pick up rushing yards while also being able to sling the ball deep due to his strong arm. The 49ers have an easy playoff schedule for quarterbacks as well.
They play the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans in Week 15, 16, and 17. These three teams gave up an average of 21.5 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks last year which would be the fifth-worst if the average were their own team. If fantasy owners are willing to keep Lance on the bench for a part of the season, it could pay off well if he takes the starting job by playoff time.
Running Backs – Raheem Mostert, Trey Sermon, Wayne Gallman II
The 49ers like to use a running back committee which means that multiple of their backs will be relevant in fantasy football. Mostert has averaged 9.5 and 10.5 fantasy points in the past two years making him a decent option in the later rounds for a backup. It is unlikely he provides fantasy owners with big numbers but could boom in any given week.
Sermon is a pick, much like Lance, that is a bit risky but could pay off well. The 49ers traded up to get Sermon meaning that they were likely high on him and could plan to use him in a large role. Shanahan uses multiple running backs every game so Sermon will probably see a lot of snaps even if he is not a ‘workhorse’ back. In addition, the 49ers have a fairly easy schedule for runningbacks meaning if Sermon shines, he could be a league-winner. Lastly, he has an ADP around pick 89 and which could make him a steal if he carves out a large role.
Gallman is the final back that could carve out a role in the 49ers’ offense. He finished as the RB29 last year while attempting to fill a void left by Saquon Barkley‘s injury. Gallman will likely not see more than four or five touches per game, but with the unpredictability of the 49ers backfield, he is worth a look in the later rounds of deep leagues. If one of Mostert of Sermon goes down due to injury, he could take over a majority of their touches, giving fantasy owners a steal with his ADP being around 310.
Wide Receivers – Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Mohamed Sanu Sr.
The 49ers have a very intriguing receiving core. Many expect Aiyuk to have a breakout year, but Samuel should not slept on either. He averaged 11.5 fantasy points per game last year. Samuel is a consistent and versatile wide receiver that could see nice usage due to his versatility. His ADP is around 90 which makes him a reliable option in the mid-late rounds.
Aiyuk is another great option at the receiver position from the 49ers. In just 12 games during his rookie year, he was able to muster up enough points to become the WR35. If Aiyuk is able to stay healthy, his production is excellent. He averaged 15.4 fantasy points per game last year which makes him a high-end WR2 option for 2021. His ADP is around 58 which makes him a great pick in the mid-rounds.
Richie James Jr., Jalen Hurd, and Sanu are all competing for the third spot on the wide receiver depth chart. Whoever wins the competition will likely not be relevant in fantasy football this year with the exception of deep leagues. Kittle, Aiyuk, and Samuel will take most of the production in the passing game making it tough for them to produce consistently.
TIght Ends – George Kittle
Kittle is currently being selected as the third tight end in many fantasy drafts, but if he can stay healthy, he could finish as the TE1. In 2019, he finished as the TE2 behind Travis Kelce while only playing 14 games that year. Kittle is great after the catch and could produce well this year if he stays on the field. His ADP is around 26 and the 49ers have an easy schedule for tight ends. If he can be scooped up in round three (slightly below his ADP), he could be a great value pick considering how rare elite tight ends are in fantasy football. None of the other 49ers’ tight ends should be fantasy-relevant in 2021 unless Kittle goes down to injury.
Defense/Special Teams
The 49ers’ defense finished 20th in the league last year. The defensive line and linebacker core are elite, but the secondary is below average. Their special teams are average and likely will not produce many fantasy points this year. In 2021, the 49ers will be a low-end D/ST option in 10 or 12 person leagues, but it has top-five upside if their secondary plays well.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @ptsportstalk
Follow Kamran Nia on Twitter @kamran_nia
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
