Fantasy Football 2017 Team Preview: San Francisco 49ers
This is the 2017 fantasy preview of the San Francisco 49ers. In this preview I will provide the Must-Own players, Sleepers, and Longshot players with upside very deep in drafts.
Must-own players are those who should be owned by someone in any league. Handcuff RBs can qualify, as they are often very important to a fantasy team over the full schedule. Sleepers are secondary players that you may find on the waiver wire at some point in the year, or may go undrafted in shallower auction-style leagues. The Longshots are players with microscopic ADP, who are being drafted at the very end of drafts, or more likely not drafted at all.
All ADP data is courtesy of FantasyPros.com.
**I will list all kickers, but I cannot give analysis on them. Sorry :-/
MUST OWNS
Carlos Hyde, RB (ADP: 36): Hyde spent most of the offseason fending off trade rumors, a few rumors that he’d be cut, and general snickering at his probability of remaining the starter. Now, as the season approaches, he is back to being a rock solid focal point of this offense provided he stays healthy. 2016 represented a career high for Hyde in terms of games played (13), and he was steady. Hyde rushed for 988 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and six touchdowns while also scoring three times through the air. Health is a major reason why I don’t love Hyde, but his talent isn’t in question. This ADP is fair, if high-risk because of injury.
Pierre Garcon, WR (ADP: 92): Garcon has been drawing raves from fantasy experts and I’m coming around a bit on him. I buy him being a target hound, and a very solid option in PPR or half-PPR leagues. My issue with Garcon is that this offense doesn’t have much talent in it, and he’s never scored more than six touchdowns in his career. Garcon has a 113-catch year under his belt, but he’s never caught 80 passes in any other season of his nine-year career. Now, with Brian Hoyer, he is unlikely to break his personal records. This ADP is alright, but I wouldn’t take the plunge on him. The touchdowns just won’t be there.
SLEEPERS
Marquise Goodwin, WR (ADP: 213): I was reaching for sleepers on this team, which is quietly Jets-like in terms of fantasy value. Goodwin has been more of a track star than a receiver in his NFL career, but he’s lightning fast with real opportunity to play in San Francisco. His upside is 2016 Taylor Gabriel, which is not bad at all in deep formats.
Matt Breida, RB (ADP: 304): Breida’s college stats bear out a weird drop off in production as a senior, but that’s in the past. He has played very well in the preseason and forcefully wrested the backup role from Joe Williams, a popular topic of conversation when training camp opened. At Georgia Southern he was a dual threat player, but the NFL is a different beast. If you are looking to handcuff Hyde – a wise thing to do – Breida is the one you want.
LONGSHOTS
Brian Hoyer, QB (ADP: 321): Hoyer is barely getting drafted in two-QB leagues, but there could be value here. Hoyer isn’t an absolute lost cause like Josh McCown on the Jets, or Scott Tolzein of the Colts; now that he’s hooked up with Kyle Shanahan, Hoyer might put up serviceable numbers in a two-QB format, or as a cheap option in daily fantasy.
Joe Williams, RB (ADP: 164): Williams looked like a sneaky starter at the beginning of preseason, and now he finds himself third on the depth chart. Williams is built sturdier than Breida, and may wind up getting goal line work over Breida in the event of a Hyde injury. For now though, there’s no reason to draft him even in deep keeper leagues.
KICKER
Robbie Gould.