Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The rosters and depth charts are set for the San Francisco 49ers in their season opener against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.  Below is a season preview of the defense and what Niner fans should expect from the players.  Click HERE to see the preview of the offense.

DEFENSE

Defensive line

Ray McDonald, Isaac Sopoaga, Justin Smith,

In Vic Fangio’s 3-4 base defense, he uses a lot of blitz’s on passing downs, sometimes using four or five rushers.  The job of applying pressure and gobbling up blockers is the defense line, which allows the rushing linebackers on the outside to go in untouched.  Anchoring down the best defensive line in the NFL is veteran Justin Smith who is entering his fifth season with the 49ers.  Smith’s tremendous play last season helped rookie Aldon Smith earn his 14 sacks.  Justin created rushing lanes for the linebackers by removing offensive linemen out of the way.  There is no reason to think he will not have another great season earning him his fourth straight Pro Bowl selection.

What makes the 49ers defensive line the best in the NFL is not only Smith, but also Ray McDonald and Isaac Sopoaga.  Offenses have to prepare for all three linemen, which gives coordinators headaches because they basically have to choose who they want to focus on to stop from overtaking blockers.  McDonald uses his quickness to get away from blockers to get after the quarterback.  He improved in the preseason and we should continue to see him play at a top-level like last season. Sopoaga’s value to the 49ers defense is not found in his stats (68 tackles, 0 sacks) but in the way he uses his size and athleticism.  He is also very mobile with his 330-pound frame and is capable of making big plays all on his own.

While the starters on the defensive line are tops in the NFL, the 49ers did not have much depth behind them should someone get injured.  Of the four backups on the roster, Ricky Jean Francois is the only one who is not an undrafted free agent.  Let’s hope the D-line starters can stay healthy, otherwise the 49ers will have a hole offenses will exploit this season.

Bold Prediction:  Justin Smith will have his first double digit sack season in his career.

Linebackers

Ahmad Brooks, NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith

Without a doubt, Patrick Willis is the best linebacker in the NFL and he is the leader of the 49ers defense.  Willis’ ability to quickly get after anyone who has the football with his amazing tackling skills, allows the defense to play a lot of man-to-man in the secondary, and rarely do they have to bring up the safeties into the front-seven to help defend.  Willis will continue his stellar career in 2012 and if he is fully healthy, he could lead the NFL in tackles this season.

Willis’ fellow middle linebacker, NaVorro Bowman, made a name for himself as one of the top linebackers in the NFL last season recording 173 tackles.  He led the 49ers in tackles by using his toughness and determination.  Bowman is entering his third season with the 49ers and there is no reason to think why he won’t have another All-Pro season.  What makes Bowman and Willis so valuable to the 49ers is their ability to stop the run and also their extraordinary coverage they bring to defense.

The outside linebackers are the most important part of the 49ers 3-4 base defense, as they are the fourth, and sometimes fifth, rushers going after the QB.  Aldon Smith was the star last season of the outside linebackers leading the team with 14 sacks, all in his rookie year.  Let’s not forget Smith was mainly used on passing downs only, but still recorded a record number of sacks for the 49ers.  Smith was feared by all offenses last season.  This season the 49ers have converted him into an every down linebacker, so he can instill fear on the opposing offense not just on passing downs, but also on rushing downs.  Can Smith repeat his performance of 14 sacks from last season?  Probably not, but he will get close it this season.

On the opposite side of the field is Ahmad Brooks, who became a full-time starter last season for the 49ers and set a career high with 7 sacks.  With all of the talent the 49ers have at linebacker, he kind of gets forgotten about with Willis, Bowman and Smith making all of the headlines last season.   After signing a six-year contract extension in the offseason, Brooks is ready to start making headlines as well.

Bold Prediction:  Bowman will have a huge season and will be a finalist for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

Cornerbacks

Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown, Perrish Cox, Chris Culliver, Tramaine Brock

With the 49ers defense playing a lot of man-to-man, their cornerbacks need be outstanding in coverage.  Tarell Brown and especially Carlos Rogers showed last season they are up to the task and there is no reason to think they will not carry that over into this season.  Rogers earned his first Pro Bowl selection last season with six interceptions and the 49ers will need a repeat performance this season, as they will go up against the top-five passing offenses from last year.

As full time starter for the first time in his career last season, Brown had career highs with 46 tackles and 4 interceptions.  With Brown’s strong work ethic, don’t anticipate him regressing this season as he is armed with great speed, quickness and tackling abilities.

The 49ers will use a lot of nickel and dime packages this season so we will see a lot of Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver on the field.  Both showed in the preseason they are capable corners, but they are young with only two years of experience combined.  Cox was out of the NFL last season and Culliver mostly played on special teams in his rookie season.  This could be a huge concern for the 49ers if Rogers or Brown go down with an injury.

Bold Prediction: Tarell Brown will earn his first Pro Bowl selection with 8 interceptions.

Safeties

Dashon Goldson, Donte Whitner, C.J. Spillman, Trenton Robinson, Darcel McBath

Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner are two of the hardest hitting safeties in the NFL and have the skills to make big, game changing plays in the secondary.  Goldson is one of the most aggressive safeties in the NFL, which could lead to trouble trying to make plays.  But he rarely makes a mistake by using his size, range and instincts to know when to go after the big hit or interception, and when to just make the tackle.  Goldson’s aggressiveness earned him his first Pro Bowl last season as he produced 80 tackles and six interceptions.  Goldson is determined to receive his first long-term contract this coming offseason after being franchise tagged by the 49ers the last two years.  For this alone Goldson will have a monster season.  Whether he re-signs with the 49ers after the season is a whole another question.

The secondary will need Whitner’s speed in order to stop the Packers, Lions, Saints, Patroits and Giants passing offenses this season.  Whitner can make a mistake from time to time, but overall he will continue to be a great presence on the defense as the strong safety this season.

Bold Prediction: Goldson will best his 80 tackles and 6 interceptions this season, which will earn him a huge contract in the offseason.  The problem is he will not re-sign with the 49ers.

Credit: Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE

The rosters and depth charts are set for the San Francisco 49ers in their season opener against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.  Below is a season preview of the offense and what Niner fans should expect from the players.  Check back to Niner Noise for the season preview of the defense and special teams.

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Scott Tolzien

Last season, Alex Smith finally showed the skills that made him the No. 1 over pick in the 2005 NFL draft.  He threw for 3,144 yards, 17 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and compiled a 90.7 QB rating, all while leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.  The 5 interceptions set a 49ers franchise record and tied for 3^rd in NFL history for fewest interceptions in a season (min. 400 attempts).

This season, Niner fans are expecting at least a repeat performance of last season if the team wants to win the NFC West again and make another run at the Super Bowl.  We all know Smith will need to be more than just as a game manager and finally become a true franchise quarterback for the 49ers.  In trying to achieve this goal, Smith in the offseason worked out with former Major League Baseball pitching coach Tom House on this throwing motion.  House has also worked with Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Matt Cassel and Carson Palmer.

I’ve been in the NFL for seven years now and I’m trying to do things to constantly get better. In the offseason, I feel like you’re either getting better or getting worse.  Alex Smith

Smith knows he has to get better, not only to improve his game, but to prove last season was not a fluke and he is a franchise quarterback.  Also, he knows Colin Kaepernick is itching to get onto the field whenever he can, so he cannot afford to regress this season.  With a more experienced offensive line, an upgraded passing and rushing attack, Niner fans should expect a big season from Smith.  If the 49ers want to get to the Super Bowl, Smith will need to finish the season with at least 25 passing touchdowns, over 3,000 passing yards and less than 10 interceptions.

Bold Prediction: Colin Kaepernick will see action on the field this season at quarterback, not as the starting QB, but coming in as the read-option package.

Running Backs

Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Brandon Jacobs, LaMichael James

There is no doubt Frank Gore has been the heart and soul of the 49ers offense over the last seven seasons and he remains so heading into the 2012 regular season.  Gore was a Pro Bowler after rushing for 1,211 yards and 8 touchdowns last season.  He also set a new 49ers career rushing record (7,625) and had five consecutive games with 100 yards of rushing or more.  Being the heart and soul of the 49ers offense has taken its toll on Gore as he has battled numerous injuries over the years.

This season, the 49ers plan on preserving Gore by using second-year running back Kendall Hunter as his main backup, along with new additions Brandon Jacobs as the short-yardage back, with rookie LaMichael James thrown in the mix in all situations in the running game.  This will be Gore’s first season with the 49ers in which he will have not only one adequate backup, but multiple backups to rest him during games.  Gore is a workhorse and would play every single down this season if it was up to him, but the coaching staff knows if they want him to be around in two years from now, they need to protect him this season.  While the amount of carries he receives this season will decrease, his impact will not and we can expect him to have another 1,000 yard rushing season.

Hunter is the key to the offense as the main backup to Gore.  He showed flashes of being capable of carrying the load last season, so the rushing attack will be in good hands with Gore off the field.  Jacobs and James will get off to a slow start as they are battling injuries and getting more familiar with the offense.  Once Jacob and James are fully healthy, the 49ers will have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL.

Bold Prediction:  LaMichael James will be a great flex option for the 49ers offense not only at running back but also catching passes out of the backfield, and possibly lining up at wide receiver on some plays.  He will finish the season with over 500 all-purpose yards.

Fullbacks

Bruce Miller, Antony Dixon

Both of the 49ers fullbacks are converts from other positions.  After switching from defensive end in college to fullback in the NFL last season, Miller played well for someone playing at the position for the first time.  Dixon is a more natural convert as he was a running back the last two seasons.  Dixon has shown he can handle carrying the football but picking up the right blocks is something he needs to work on.  While Miller and Dixon are listed as the fullbacks, we can expect a fullback-by-committee because Jim Harbaugh also loves to use offensive and defensive linemen at fullback to plow over defenders to create running lanes.

Wide Receivers

Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, Kyle Williams, Ted Ginn Jr., A.J. Jenkins

The 49ers most glaring weakness last season has been upgraded tremendously.  With the signing of Moss and Manningham, and the drafting of Jenkins, the 49ers have serious players on the depth chart at wide receiver this season.  Niner fans should expect Crabtree to improve on his career highs of 72 receptions and 880 receiving yards from last season thanks to the new additions at wide receiver.  Having Moss and Manningham on the field will take the attention away from Crabtree, which will allow him to have his first 1,000 receiving yard season.

Nobody, other than Niner fans, believes Moss will be of any value to the team.  What they don’t realize is he has already been a huge asset to the team by mentoring the other receivers on the team, teaching them how to successfully prepare for a game and how to study game film.  Expect him to also be a huge asset for the passing offense on the field with his 6-foot-4 length and his ability to leap over defenders, especially in the end zone.

Manningham has been flying under the radar in the preseason, but as the slot receiver, he is poised to make some noise at wide receiver.  He only started 10 games last season with the New York Giants because of injuries, which is another reason why he has been under the radar.  But remember his catch in the Super Bowl on the sidelines?  That alone is enough to believe he will catch at least 30 receptions and have around 500 receiving yards for the 49ers.

There was a lot of hype around first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins, but he showed at training camp and in the preseason he is not ready yet to start in the NFL.  Even though he is listed as the sixth receiver on the depth chart, expect his role to expand as the season goes on and as he has a better grasp of the 49ers offense.

Bold Prediction:  Moss will win the NFL’s Comeback Player of Year with 45 receptions, 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season.

Tight Ends

Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker,

Davis has shown he is one of the most clutch and productive tight ends in the NFL today.  In the playoffs he had 10 catches for 292 yards and four touchdowns that helped lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.  We can expect more of the same from Davis this season with all of the new additions at wide receiver and running back.  In the past three seasons, defenses really only had to focus on Davis in the passing game and dared the 49ers to throw to the other receivers.   This season that will not be the case as the 49ers passing game will be more respected with the new receivers and Crabtree’s continued development.  Davis is a favorite target for Smith and they have developed a great rapport over the last six seasons.  Their bond has only gotten stronger and they are will be more in sync than at any point in the last six seasons.

Walker provides the 49ers not only with another great blocking tight end, but also an explosive receiving option that has a lot of speed.  Walker dealt with a broken jaw late last season, but he is fully recovered and is expected to be a big part of the offense alongside Davis.  Walker will give opposing defenses headaches trying to cover him this season with his 6-foot, 242 pound frame, whether it is a linebacker or someone in the secondary.

Bold Prediction:  Davis will have his first 1,000 yard receiving season in his career and will catch 10 touchdowns.

Offensive line

Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Jonathan Goodwin, Alex Boone, Anthony Davis

Without a doubt, the 49ers have one the best offensive lines in the NFL.  They are returning four of the five starters from last season, with Boone as the new starter.  Boone, however, has been with the team since 2010.  Three of the starters (Staley, Iupati, and Davis) are former first-round draft picks and they are only getting better with each new season.   The continuity on the offensive line is important because the best offensive lines are the ones that have been in the same system for two or three years.

The O-line for the 49ers will give Smith the passing protection he needs and open up running lanes for the running backs.  The concern for Niner fans is what will happen if one or two of the starters goes down with an injury and is out for a while.  The 49ers are taking a chance with their bench because the team does not have another lineman who can play at tackle.  Boone was the rotating backup tackle last season, but he moved to guard this season.  Still, he could take over at tackle should Staley or Davis get hurt, but who would start at guard?  The only options are veteran Leonard Davis or rookie Joe Looney.  Davis is the ideal candidate and would be able to give adequate protection.  Looney is more of a risk after coming off foot surgery and being a rookie.  The real question is what do the 49ers do if two linemen go down with an injury?

Bold Prediction:  The 49ers will have three Pro Bowl offensive linemen:  Joe Staley, Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis

That is what 49ers fans heard Roger Goodell say on the second day of the draft this year, and if you don’t know about LaMichael James (or LMJ as I call him), then you are probably going to need to study up. Allow me to enlighten you about the greatness that has been and will be, LMJ.

I remember where I was, sitting on my couch with a salad (who am I kidding, it was Doritos) and watching day number two of the draft when the 49ers got on the clock after the Ravens picked sure fire bust, Iowa State Offensive Lineman Kelechi Osemele with the 60th overall pick. As I had done with the the 60 previous picks I sat there talking to myself and trying to figure out who the 49ers would take at 61, and I said to my wife (who wasn’t listening), “I bet they take a running back here.” I had actually been saying it for months at that time, that the 49ers were obviously going to start looking towards the future in this draft and probably take a running back. Little did I know that LaMichael James, quite possibly the steal of this draft, would still be available and that Jim Harbaugh, Trent Baalke, and the Yorks would have the smarts to grab him up.

Most people remember LaMichael James from The Rose Bowl this year where he  rushed for 159 yards on 25 carries, he was somewhat overshadowed by De’Anthony Thomas’ performance but nothing can overshadow the legacy that LaMichael James left on Oregon Duck fans. In his career at Oregon he rushed for 5,082 yards which makes him the leading rusher in Ducks history. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry over his three years there which is also a staggering number. In 2010, James had undoubtedly his best year by far when he rushed for 1,682 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. He also finished 3rd in the Heisman voting that year behind Cam Newton and Andrew Luck. In case you didn’t know, those two players went number one overall in the subsequent drafts. LMJ also received the Doak Walker Award in 2010 which is presented every year to the nation’s top running back. Some former players to win that award: Garrison Hearst, Bam Morris, Eddie George, Ricky Williams (twice), Ron Dayne, LaDanian Tomlinson, Reggie Bush, and most recently Trent Richardson who went number three overall in this years draft, 58 picks higher than LaMichael James, so some pretty good company there.

Is it insane to think that LaMichael James could be the best running back to come out of the 2012 draft when it’s all said and done?

All hyperbole aside, if I had told you these things before the 2012 draft, you would think that most certainly LaMichael would be getting drafted in the top 10 first players selected, but unfortunately, at 5’9′ 195 lbs. his size made him drop on most teams draft boards. Think about that, a player that rushed over 230 times in each of his three seasons, finished 3rd in Heisman voting, is 2nd all time in Pac-12 History in rush yards, and 14th in NCAA History and is a Doak Walker Award winner, didn’t even go in the first round because he is too small? Well, other teams blunders are the 49er Nation’s gain.

LaMichael James is a freak, plain and simple, yes he is a little small for a “Prototypical NFL Running Back” to use a Merril Hodge cliche, but I don’t think that will stop him. He is an incredibly versatile player and one who will without question be making big plays this season for the 49ers. Whether it is in the running game, the screen game, wheel routes out of the backfield (a Jim Harbaugh staple), or even in the return game, LMJ will be on some folks highlight reels this year, and you heard it here first. LaMichael’s sheer athletic ability, mixed with his desire to win, and the fact that he is on the greatest team on the planet, make for an extremely volatile mixture, one that every 49er fan should be watching and anticipating with baited breath as this season draws ever so near. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show that LaMichael James is bound to put on for us this year.