Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Best and Worst Players at Each Position Entering 2017

By Peter Panacy

Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) warms up with quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) warms up with quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) runs the ball defended by San Francisco 49ers safety Antoine Bethea (41) during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) runs the ball defended by San Francisco 49ers safety Antoine Bethea (41) during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Safety

Best Player: Antoine Bethea

Worst Player: Jaquiski Tartt

Veteran safety Antoine Bethea was one of the better defensive players for San Francisco last season. And he led the team with 95 tackles in a banged-up, lackluster defense in 2016.

Entering a contract year, the 32-year-old defensive back might not be a part of the Niners’ long-term plans though.

One guy who should be a part of those plans is third-year pro Jaquiski Tartt. The former second-round pick of the 2015 NFL Draft regressed his second season at the NFL level. And he never truly showed the versatility many were hoping for as a type of hybrid safety.

Tartt is still young though, so it’s not out of the question he’ll mature and develop. But it’s safe to say his 2016 campaign was fairly disappointing.