Niner Noise
FanSided

Power ranking the 49ers’ 5 best position groups entering 2019

By Peter Panacy

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 07: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers runs after a catch against the Arizona Cardinals during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 07: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers runs after a catch against the Arizona Cardinals during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

With the 2019 season on the horizon, Niner Noise power ranks the San Francisco 49ers’ five best position groups, breaking down which are the strongest this year.

The San Francisco 49ers are expecting a number of their offseason moves and changes to provide some serious thump and impact during the upcoming 2019 season.

Through free agency, trades and the NFL Draft, general manager John Lynch and his staff worked to get what was previously a 4-12 team back towards the goal of reaching the playoffs — something Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have yet to achieve now entering year three of their tenure together at the helm.

Some positions received, essentially, complete makeovers. Others, however, were left relatively unchanged.

So, which ones look to be the best entering the upcoming campaign?

With training camp just around the corner, Niner Noise takes a look and lists out the Niners’ five best position groups, power rankings style.

No. 5: Tight End

It would be nice to include the quarterback group on this list. But with Jimmy Garoppolo having started just 10 NFL games, there’s a lot left to prove. One of his backups, C.J. Beathard, also has just 10 NFL starts to put things into perspective.

Instead, the No. 5 position within this group is at tight end, where San Francisco is looking to get another excellent year out of 2018 Pro Bowler George Kittle.

Kittle’s 1,377 receiving yards, and all those yards after the catch, almost alone put this position into this list. He’s a bona fide stud and a major reason why Shanahan’s offense could rise to a new level of potency in 2019.

Yet the Niners want to get more out of this crop than just Kittle, which explains the offseason adds of Stanford’s Kaden Smith and former Detroit Lions tight end Levine Toilolo in the draft and free agency, respectively.

Smith, while not the fastest pass catcher out there, offers a unique fit in Shanahan’s “positionless” offense, while Toilolo is known for exceptional blocking.

Sounds like a well-rounded group, with budding potential in Smith.