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San Francisco 49ers: 3 players facing do-or-die seasons in 2020

By Peter Panacy

CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 15: Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers is seen during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 15: Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers is seen during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Dante Pettis, 49ers
Dante Pettis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Wide Receiver Dante Pettis

What happened to wide receiver Dante Pettis in 2019 was nothing short of befuddling.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

A year removed from an impressive rookie season, in which Pettis flashed all the signs of being a No. 1 wideout his final five games, the former University of Washington standout all but disappeared from Kyle Shanahan’s offensive game plan. Much of this stemmed from training camp, where Pettis was already being called out by his head coach.

And while Pettis had some clutch moments during the regular season, such as a game-winning catch in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, his 2019 campaign is likely one he’d prefer forgetting.

Especially when one looks at his mere 11 receptions for 109 yards — scant numbers for a one-time second-round NFL Draft pick the 49ers moved up to get.

Towards the end of the season, Pettis was relegated to backup duties, even finding himself inactive in the Super Bowl. The trade for Emmanuel Sanders, combined with the evolution of then-rookie Deebo Samuel, pushed Pettis to the periphery.

Sanders, a pending free agent, could depart this offseason. That could open the door for Pettis to bounce back in 2020, yet those prospects could be hindered yet again if the Niners push for one of those many receiving targets in this year’s draft.

Next. Ranking 49ers' top 5 wide receiver options in the 2020 NFL Draft. dark

Either way, Pettis is facing a do-or-die campaign under Shanahan this upcoming season, and the wideout’s future hangs in the balance.