San Francisco 49ers: Ranking Each Position by Strength Entering 2016

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Dec 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) celebrates his 71 yard game winning touchdown reception with wide receiver Quinton Patton (11) during the overtime period against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. San Francisco won 26-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Wide Receivers

With the loss of Anquan Boldin, there is a lot of youth among this group. This means there is a lot of unproven talent. The only veterans on this unit are Torrey Smith and Jerome Simpson. Next on the pecking order are Quinton Patton and Ellington, and then you have a large mix of second year players and rookies.

It is hard to label this group as being weak, but there are so many unanswered questions. There are currently players at this position who won’t be on the final roster after training camp and preseason concludes.

A player such as Eric Rogers has professional playing experience in Canada – but how will he adjust to the smaller fields and better defenders of the NFL? How will DeAndre Smelter play after recovering from his torn ACL?

Can Patton and Ellington finally become dependable, savvy route running receivers? Can they perform every week, not once every three to four weeks?

This group may end up being a strength as the season wears on. But until the games are played, there are too many questions to get overly excited about this group at this point.

Next: Offensive Line