Niner Noise 49ers roundtable: Start of 2019 season edition
Question 4: For the 49ers who will be the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved
Aaron Tan
The 49ers MVP should be DeForest Buckner. Call me bullishly optimistic, but Buckner can close in on Aaron Donald numbers with the help he is going to get on the defensive line. Who are you going to double team with Dee Ford, Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Solomon Thomas (who’s primed for a breakout season) and Buckner lined up against you?
Buckner should be an absolute menace this season, and more importantly, the front seven in general will be as well.
Rookie of the Year is an obvious choice in Bosa, if he stays healthy. Ankle and hamstring injuries tend to linger, and I would not be surprised if he went down this season (which I really hope is not the case). However, if he does stay healthy, Bosa should be another menace for opposing quarterbacks.
Most Improved goes to Thomas. Thomas was in a really bad spot in his life last year, but he has seemed to put that behind him and focus on enjoying football again. He has trained with Donald this summer and has looked improved already. This is his year to prove that he was not a complete bust, and he is going to do that this season.
Akshaj Dwivedula
MVP – DeForest Buckner, ROY – Nick Bosa, Most improved – Jimmy G and Tarvarius Moore.
Chris Wilson
Garoppolo for MVP, Bosa for ROY and Moore will be the most improved player on the team.
James Jones
MVP: DeForest Buckner
Rookie of the Year: Nick Bosa
Most Improved: Ahkello Witherspoon
Jeremy Wohlfart
MVP has to be DeForest Buckner, who is going to really benefit from the added weapons along the defensive line taking attention away from him.
Rookie of the year, I was tempted to give to Deebo Samuel, since he looks like a Week 1 starter and has impressed with the starters. But I have to give it to Nick Bosa, even though I think he may start slow with an interrupted preseason.
Most improved I think will be Richie James who looks like he’s on the cusp of being a starter in this league.
Joshua Altorfer
MVP has got to go to Jimmy Garoppolo. If this team is going to have the success I think it will this season. I got wide receiver Deebo Samuel as the Niners rookie of the year, he was so impressive on his limited preseason play.
Most improved will be Trent Taylor when he returns from injury.
Peter Panacy
MVP will be DeForest Buckner, Rookie of the Year will be Nick Bosa and the most improved player will be Ahkello Witherspoon.
Robert Morrison
MVP: Jimmy G
RoTY: Deebo or Bosa
Most improved: Solomon Thomas
Timmy Gibson
MVP: Jimmy Garoppolo. In his first full season as the Niners’ starter, Garoppolo silences the doubters and proves how valuable he is to the Niners.
Rookie of the Year: Nick Bosa. I won’t overthink this one, I’ll roll with the high draft capital.
Most Improved: Solomon Thomas. Thomas struggled last year to come to terms with his sister’s suicide. Now, he is in a much better place mentally, and works to honor her memory. In a better place mentally, Thomas should be able to finally play at the level John Lynch saw when he took him third overall in the draft.