49ers 2021 ‘Who is?’ series: Don’t make River Cracraft a returner

River Cracraft has an outsider’s chance to make the 49ers’ 53-man roster in 2021, but the Niners shouldn’t consider him for return duties.

Aside from having one of the most catchy names in the NFL, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver River Cracraft is someone fans know a little bit about after he seemingly came out of nowhere last season to boost a depleted wide receiver room riddled with injuries.

Signed by the Niners in late August of last year, Cracraft almost had his first NFL touchdown on a nifty catch on Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers, only to lose control of it in the end zone when he hit the ground.

Yet that might not be the reason most fans remember Cracraft’s efforts last year.

In Week 17, Cracraft inexplicably called for a fair catch during a punt return without a defender within 20 yards of him.

Ugly.

OK, well, it was just one oversight. And it certainly didn’t hinder San Francisco’s decision to re-sign him to a one-year deal during the offseason with the intent of letting him compete for one of the depth spots at the position.

If not as a returner, though, what chance does Cracraft have to hang around, and can he make anything of an impact?

Niner Noise’s “Who is?” series takes a deeper look.

Why River Cracraft improves with 49ers in 2021

At 26 years old out of Washington State, Cracraft can’t exactly be put into that category of young players still improving and developing their… craft.

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Generated 6/10/2021.

Up to this point, Cracraft’s practical game experience is awfully limited, having been an undrafted free-agent addition to the Denver Broncos back in 2017 and managing to get into eight games the following season before reverting back to a perennial practice-squad player.

Maybe this offseason marks the year Cracraft puts all of his limited talents together to emerge as one of the depth options for head coach Kyle Shanahan. Position depth is widely up for grabs after all, and Cracraft has just as good a chance to hang around as many of the other depth wideouts currently on the offseason roster.

Why River Cracraft regresses with 49ers in 2021

Again, Cracraft is beyond the stage of development. While it’s possible for him to improve, the likelier of the two outcomes is this is essentially who he is.

Cracraft isn’t particularly fast. And even though he has OK size at 6-foot-0 and 198 pounds, he’s not overly physical or strong either.

True, he had modest return experience back at the collegiate level. But considering his gaffe last season in the return game, it certainly doesn’t appear as if Shanahan would want to employ him in that kind of a role again unless it was an absolute emergency.

Chances of making 49ers’ 53-man roster

With little doubt, Cracraft is on the weakest side of the roster bubble heading into training camp.

The good news, however, is the 49ers don’t have any true answer for the No. 3 spot on the receiving depth chart behind Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, meaning Cracraft could end up being listed anywhere from the third option all the way off the roster altogether.

Related Story: Best candidates for 49ers’ No. 3 wide receiver

Some of his primary competitors for a spot on the depth chart include more established veterans like Richie James, Kevin White, Travis Benjamin, Bennie Fowler and Trent Sherfield, as well as the rookie, Austin Watkins.

Cracraft will have to beat out at least three or four of those names to have a chance, so the special teams abilities do work in his favor here, even if they should be intended merely for gunning purposes.

Yet Cracraft has zero in guaranteed money on his current deal, meaning the Niners are in no way committed to him whatsoever.

As such, it’s likely Cracraft winds up seeing some field time in the second half of San Francisco’s first two preseason games, then potentially getting some decent looks in Week 3 of the preseason before receiving his pink slip at the time of roster cuts.