San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who underachieved in 2019

No. 1: Wide Receiver Dante Pettis

While most of the players on this list had signs of being a disappointment entering the 2019 season, wide receiver Dante Pettis‘ regression seemed like the ultimate anomaly.

During his rookie 2018 season, Pettis flashed signs of being a true No. 1 receiver down the stretch, finishing that year with five touchdowns and nearly hitting 500 receiving yards on the campaign.

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But in training camp, Pettis came under scrutiny and went through a training camp when drops became something of a regular theme. And as was the case with Marquise Goodwin, Pettis’ fall from grace forced the 49ers to make a move at the NFL trade deadline, picking up Emmanuel Sanders from the Denver Broncos.

Sanders’ presence, along with the rise of 2019 rookie receiver Deebo Samuel, ultimately cut into both Goodwin and Pettis’ time on the field.

In total, Pettis appeared in just 313 offensive snaps (29.4 percent), and most of those came before Sanders arrived.

As a result, Pettis finished his second year with a mere 11 catches for 109 yards, albeit with two crucial touchdown grabs, including a notable game winner against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3.

Still, Pettis’ descent is a tough pill to swallow, as the 49ers were forced to make some other much-needed moves to account for his regression.

Needless to say, how Pettis responds in 2020 will be crucial in determining his future role with San Francisco.