The ESPN.com fantasy football team has put together its offseason rankings, and while they are certainly subject to change between May and September, it is somewhat surprising to see the San Francisco 49ers a relative afterthought.
Or is it?
The Niners offense regressed badly last season as the team, coming off three straight NFC title game appearances, finished 8-8 and coach Jim Harbaugh left for the college game and his alma mater at Michigan.
Only two Niners players are ranked in the top 15 of their respective position groups – quarterback Colin Kaepernick and placekicker Phil Dawson – in the fantasy rankings.
Let’s make this a series, so to speak, by showing what our fantasy experts think of the Niners players at their positions:
Colin Kaepernick: 15th among quarterbacks
It wasn’t that long ago that Kaepernick was a fantasy beast, rather than living in a fantasy world with his regrettable social media post this week comparing himself to the deadly storms and flooding that rocked Houston. But 15th among QBs, 176th overall? How the mighty (fantasy figures) have fallen. Kaepernick is still a dual threat with his speed and cannon for an arm, and the arrivals of deep threat Torrey Smith and pass-catching running back Reggie Bush should help Kaepernick’s continued development as a pocket passer. Still, it’s hard to shake the fact that despite Kaepernick being perhaps the most mobile quarterback in the NFL, he still was sacked more than any quarterback in the league. And while that might be more a reflection of a leaky offensive line, the Niners’ line again appears in flux, with the right side – guard Alex Boone and tackle Anthony Davis – choosing to sit out voluntary OTAs, center Daniel Kilgore coming back from a broken ankle and left guard wide open.