Niner Noise
FanSided

49ers’ 2018 offseason positional preview: Wide receiver

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 12: Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch on his way to against the New York Giants83-yard touchdown against the New York Giants during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 12: Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch on his way to against the New York Giants83-yard touchdown against the New York Giants during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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CORVALLIS, OR – SEPTEMBER 30: Wide receiver Dante Pettis #8 of the Washington Huskies celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium on September 30, 2017 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
CORVALLIS, OR – SEPTEMBER 30: Wide receiver Dante Pettis #8 of the Washington Huskies celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium on September 30, 2017 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

49ers Rookie Wide Receiver Spotlight

San Francisco will give every chance to Dante Pettis to crack the 53-man roster this season. Whether or not he starts is anyone’s guess. But Pettis was arguably the best route-runner in college football last year, which is assuredly one of the main reasons head coach Kyle Shanahan tabbed him.

But don’t sleep on Richie James, who was one of the bigger standouts at rookie minicamp this offseason.

Dante Pettis

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Pettis will need to add some bulk to his frame to compete well enough at the NFL level. Even with his superb route-running abilities, bigger pro-level cornerbacks will easily bump him off his routes at the snap, which could cause problems.

If he can overcome this, though, he should be a seamless fit in Shanahan’s offense.

Dante Pettis Receiving & Rushing Table
Rece Rece Rece Rece Scri Scri Scri Scri
Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD
*2014 Washington Pac-12 FR WR 13 17 259 15.2 1 17 259 15.2 1
*2015 Washington Pac-12 SO WR 13 30 414 13.8 1 31 406 13.1 1
*2016 Washington Pac-12 JR WR 13 53 822 15.5 15 53 822 15.5 15
*2017 Washington Pac-12 SR WR 13 63 761 12.1 7 66 811 12.3 7
Career Washington 163 2256 13.8 24 167 2298 13.8 24

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/23/2018.

Some may view Pettis as a slot-only receiver. Yet Shanahan’s offense isn’t traditional in that sense. Receivers run picks and crossing routes all the time, changing roles and operating in a system that stresses getting open. Not winning the 50-50 battles.

Here is where Pettis could thrive.

Richie James

James, a small-school player out of Middle Tennessee State, is in immediate competition for a slot role alongside Trent Taylor.

At 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds, James is a prototypical slot. Although one has to remember the same notion applies to Shanahan’s offense.

Injuries held James to just five games last season, which is likely the reason he fell to Round 7. But the year before, he posted a whopping 1,625 receiving yards and 12 touchdown grabs. Certainly that kind of production is what drew the 49ers to James late in the draft.

Steven Dunbar

Former Houston wide receiver Steven Dunbar doesn’t have the speed most of his counterparts do. But he does have size — a 6-foot-3, 202-pound frame, to be precise.

The 49ers ranked 27th in red-zone touchdown efficiency last season. While those one-on-one threats aren’t exactly what Shanahan touts, it’s useful to have big-bodied targets within opponents’ 25-yard lines.

Perhaps this is why San Francisco grabbed Dunbar, an undrafted free agent, after he posted 1,070 receiving yards his senior year.