We analyze the Average Draft Position of the San Francisco 49ers’ fantasy assets, and tell you which Niners you should target in your upcoming 2017 fantasy football draft.
The 2016 season was a letdown for the San Francisco 49ers, both on the field, and among the fantasy football community. While many experts predicted head coach Chip Kelly’s fast-paced offense to produce a wealth of fantasy productivity, the 49ers provided the fantasy world with few worthwhile assets.
Thankfully, in 2017, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan brings a new fantasy-rich offensive scheme to the team — one that produced three top-five fantasy producers at their respective positions in 2016.
Take advantage of the recency bias that plagues the fantasy football community — and your fellow drafters. Stay away from overvalued Atlanta Falcons not named Julio, and target these undervalued San Francisco 49ers instead.
Let’s start off in the backfield.
Carlos Hyde – Running Back No. 19
49ers running back Carlos Hyde is currently the 19th running back off the board, and has an overall Average Draft Position (ADP) of 44 in Point-Per-Reception (PPR) leagues.
Hyde — one of the few 49ers to benefit from Chip Kelly’s offensive philosophy — was RB15 last year even after missing time due to injury.
Hyde’s injury history is surely a factor in his low ADP — as is the post-draft Joe Williams hype train that has yet to fully leave the station.
But with four rookie running backs, a 31-year-old back attempting his NFL return, a six-game suspended RB and a converted wide receiver all being drafted before him, a healthy Hyde could easily become a second-round value at a fourth-round price in your 12-team league.
Pierre Garçon – Wide Receiver No. 34
49ers wide receiver Pierre Garçon is currently WR34 and has an ADP of 73, after ending 2016 as WR27.
As the tallest wide receiver in the NFL’s shortest receiving corps, and with no competition for the 49ers’ No. 1 receiver position, Garçon will likely be a target monster in 2017. Since Garçon is no longer forced to share targets with DeSean Jackson, Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed in Washington, his usage in 2017 is sure to rise.
Garçon is also reuniting with Kyle Shanahan, who helped the receiver haul in a league-leading 113 passes in 2013; Garçon’s 2013 production would have translated to top-five fantasy numbers last year.
At age 31, that level of production will be difficult for Garçon to reproduce, but any receiver recently in the top-five conversation is a good bet to surpass his WR34 value.
Marquise Goodwin – Wide Receiver No. 98
49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin is undrafted in the vast majority of fantasy football leagues, with an ADP of 294. However, if you have an avid Niner fan in your league, that opponent is likely targeting the former track star.
Goodwin has locked down the No. 2 receiver role in San Francisco, and has shown over the offseason that he’s more than simply a downfield threat. But when you draft Goodwin, you’re drafting him for his ability to score from anywhere on the field, as he demonstrated in the 49ers’ third preseason game.
Barring injury, there is little chance Goodwin fails to live up to his ADP. Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Russell Shepard — 2016’s WR98 — mustered only 350 yards from 23 receptions last season. As Goodwin’s cost is essentially free, target him at the end of your draft, and in best-ball leagues.
Potential Streamers and Sleepers
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Unless you’re in a “Superflex” league or a two-quarterback league, quarterback Brian Hoyer should be available on your waiver wire, and will be a potential quarterback-streamer against porous defenses.
With four potential running backs vying for the 49ers’ backup role, Hyde doesn’t currently have a true handcuff — not that handcuffing backs in a subpar offense is a particularly good strategy.
However, if Hyde begins to split time with a single running back — similar to last year’s Falcons — that RB could be a hot commodity on the waiver wire.
With the recent trade of tight end Vance McDonald, many expect George Kittle to immediately take over the 49ers’ starting role. Instead of drafting Kittle, wait to see how he is utilized over the beginning of the season, remembering that the NFL has yet to have a tight end drafted in the fifth round or later be fantasy relevant in his rookie season.
Next: 49ers film room: Opening offensive drive vs. Vikings
The San Francisco 49ers have a number of assets who can be drafted at a discount in 2017. Be sure to take advantage of the value in your draft, and good luck with your fantasy football season.