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

By Peter Panacy

Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) celebrates after running in a touchdown during the second quarter 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 running back Carlos Hyde (28) celebrates after running in a touchdown during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 13, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jeremy Kerley (17) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jeremy Kerley (17) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

Fantasy Option No. 3: Wide Receiver Jeremy Kerley

One of the standouts from an otherwise abysmal 49ers season in 2016 was wide receiver Jeremy Kerley.

Kerley ended up leading the Niners in both receptions (64) and receiving yards (667) — not eye-popping numbers, fantasy football-wise, but good enough to warrant some consideration for a late-round sleeper.

The 28 year old won’t be the only option this year. San Francisco’s new No. 1 receiver, Pierre Garcon, likely gets the lion’s share of targets.

But Kerley will still be asked to contribute out of the slot. He may be pushed a bit by rookie wideout Trent Taylor, but I wouldn’t expect Taylor to be a threat to Kerley’s numbers this season.

Currently, CBS Sports projects Kerley to earn fantasy football owners 42.4 points in standard leagues. That’s not a lot, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is significantly higher this season.

Keep an eye on starting nickel corners the Niners face in 2017. If the matchup is favorable, you may want to consider using Kerley as a flex player or reserve option to cover one of your starting receivers on a bye week.

And if Kerley remains a favorite target, you may want to open up a roster spot for him midway through the season.