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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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Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Neville Hewitt (46) tackles San Francisco 49ers tight end Vance McDonald (89) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Neville Hewitt (46) tackles San Francisco 49ers tight end Vance McDonald (89) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Tight End

Best Player: Vance McDonald

Worst Player: Blake Bell

On one hand, tight end Vance McDonald had a career year before being hurt and landing on injured reserve. On the other, McDonald’s 2016 numbers weren’t particularly awe-inspiring:

Receiving & Rushing Table
Games Receiving
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G Ctch%
2013 23 SFO te 89 15 4 19 8 119 14.9 0 25 0.5 7.9 42.1%
2014 24 SFO te 89 8 4 8 2 30 15.0 0 21 0.3 3.8 25.0%
2015 25 SFO TE/wr 89 14 11 46 30 326 10.9 3 36 2.1 23.3 65.2%
2016 26 SFO TE 89 11 11 45 24 391 16.3 4 75 2.2 35.5 53.3%
Career 48 30 118 64 866 13.5 7 75 1.3 18.0

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/13/2017.

The 49ers inked McDonald to an extension during the season, so he’ll have to be a part of the solution moving forward.

Yet former fourth-round pick Blake Bell hasn’t done much of anything to suggest he’ll be a factor.

With fellow TE Garrett Celek locking down the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, Bell’s best chance to stick around might be to make more of an impact on special teams.