Projected 49ers Week 1 starting lineup halfway through 2018 preseason
By Peter Panacy
Special Teams
Kicker: Robbie Gould
Punter: Bradley Pinion
Long-Snapper: Kyle Nelson
Not a lot of updates here, really. About the only position battle brewing this preseason is between punters Bradley Pinion and Jeff Locke. Locke has seen a modest amount of snaps thus far, but there’s almost zero reason to assume the 49ers move on from Pinion, who averaged 43.4 yards per punt attempt a season ago.
There’s zero camp competition for veteran kicker Robbie Gould either. And after he recorded a league-high 39 field goals last season, why would there be?
About the only point of interest — and it’s not listed here — will be return duties. Rookies Richie James, D.J. Reed and Dante Pettis all have viable return skills on both punts and kickoffs. Pettis, who recording a whopping nine punt returns for touchdowns his collegiate career, could assume this role his inaugural NFL season.
James and Reed’s returning abilities will be contingent on whether they make the 53-man roster.