Fantasy Football: An early look at 49ers options in 2017

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Oct 25, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer (7) yells out from the line of scrimmage against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 44-26. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Fantasy Option No. 1: Quarterback Brian Hoyer

Let’s get this one out of the way first, because there’s always a team or two vying for a starting quarterback towards the end of the fantasy football season.

You’d be crazy to use a mid-to-late-round pick on quarterback Brian Hoyer. Heck, you’d be crazy to do the same for almost all the 49ers entering 2017.

But Hoyer, slated to be San Francisco’s starter, may be worth a look at the year rolls on.

You see, Hoyer will be reuniting with head coach Kyle Shanahan. The last time these two graced the field with the Cleveland Browns back in 2014, Hoyer actually led the NFL with a 13.7 yards-per-completion average. And that was over 13 starts on a bad, bad Browns team.

Hoyer managed to throw for over 3,300 yards that season but also had a career high in interceptions (13).

These are probably the kinds of numbers we’ll see out of Hoyer this season. San Francisco’s wide receiver group isn’t exactly dynamic, and the offensive line is in flux.

No wonder ESPN’s Matthew Berry ranks Hoyer No. 28 out of 30 quarterbacks in his latest fantasy rankings.

But hey, he looks to be a better option than Cleveland Browns quarterback Cody Kessler or Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff.

Don’t waste a pick on Hoyer, unless you’re a 49ers homer. Instead, keep an eye on how he’s doing over the course of the year and, more importantly, how San Francisco’s offense is running.

If you need some injury depth or someone to cover your bye week, Hoyer might be the guy.