5 Most Disappointing 49ers So Far in 2016

No. 2: The Tight Ends

I know. I know. I didn’t stick to just one player here. But it really does involve the group as a whole.

With Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek and Blake Bell, the team has three tight ends who have paid little dividends. The three have combined for 18 receptions for 238 yards and two scores. Those two scores were both by McDonald.

While those numbers are extremely pedestrian, the group has been fighting through injuries early on. McDonald has been working through a hip injury, while Celek has been dealing with back pain. Both were banged up in the loss to the Seahawks in Week 3.

When Chip Kelly was with the Philadelphia Eagles, his tight ends accounted for 23.6 percent of all targets over his three seasons.  With Zach Ertz and Brent Celek at the position, the tight ends also accounted for nearly 29 percent of all red-zone targets during Kelly’s tenure.

If the 49ers want to have try to find some semblance of success on third down and in the red zone, they need to get the tight ends involved more often in the game plan. With the receiving corps nearly as ineffective, it is imperative that this occurs because the team has struggled mightily in both of these areas during the first quarter of the season.

With Colin Kaepernick poised to take over the starting QB job this week against the Buffalo Bills, Kelly needs to find ways of getting the tight ends involved to help provide a safety valve for Kap, should protection break down and the receivers are not open on the outside. Blaine Gabbert just has not been able to get the ball to players when they have been open, whether on a screen or further downfield.

That brings us to the final disappointing player so far in the Niner’s 2016 season.