Niner Noise
FanSided

5 biggest problems facing the 49ers in 2019 so far

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Pressure by defensive tackle Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams forces an incomplete pass by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers in the second half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Pressure by defensive tackle Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams forces an incomplete pass by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers in the second half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 09: Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers watches as the ball bounces after an incomplete pass in the second half of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 09: Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers watches as the ball bounces after an incomplete pass in the second half of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Wide Receiver Production

If there has been one relatively glaring weakness from the 49ers offense this season, it’s been the lack of wide receiver production.

Granted, the vast majority of the Niners receiving corps is young, and it’s still missing a top target of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, slot wideout Trent Taylor, who is out with a foot fracture. But that doesn’t change the fact the 49ers have the No. 21 ranked passing offense in the league.

And tight end George Kittle is eating up the vast majority of San Francisco’s 1,141 receiving yards with a team-leading 338.

Check out the totals from the 49ers wideouts through five games:

49ers Wide Receiver Receiving Table
Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece
No. Player Age Pos G GS Tgt Rec Yds TD Y/G Fmb
19 Deebo Samuel 23 wr 5 2 22 15 168 1 33.6 1
11 Marquise Goodwin 29 WR 5 5 15 11 181 1 36.2 0
18 Dante Pettis 24 WR 5 3 15 9 83 1 16.6 0
84 Kendrick Bourne 24 5 0 10 6 70 0 14.0 0
13 Richie James 24 5 0 8 4 68 1 13.6 1

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/15/2019.

The Niners haven’t gotten much from second-year receiver Dante Pettis, while rookie Deebo Samuel is still coming into his own.

Hopefully this crop is able to pick up the slack in coming weeks, as San Francisco’s running game can’t be expected to shoulder the load each and every week.