Niner Noise
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Ranking 49ers 3 best candidates for No. 3 wide receiver

By Robert Morrison

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 18: Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a 2-yard touchdown catch during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium on October 18, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Rams 24-16. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 18: Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a 2-yard touchdown catch during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium on October 18, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Rams 24-16. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /
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49ers wide receiver
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin (12) Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers Option No. 2: Travis Benjamin

If Richie James is the still-yet-to-be-established young guy looking to bust out as a force for the 2021 49ers, then veteran Travis Benjamin is the option that presents more of a “you know what you’re getting” direction for the position.

Benjamin is probably the closest thing the Niners have to a straight-line speedster even as he looks to turn 32 years old before the end of the season. He opted out of 2020 due to COVID-19 and is looking to step into a key role for the 2021 49ers.

Beyond being a long-tenured veteran — 2021 will be his ninth NFL season — Benjamin has something that most of the other options at wideouts beyond Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Richie James don’t: experience in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, having played in Cleveland with the Browns while Shanahan was the offensive coordinator.

And while that was only one season in 2014, Benjamin did play in all 16 games that year, catching 18 receptions for a then career-high 314 yards. The following year was Benjamin’s best, as he caught 68 passes for 966 yards and five touchdowns under now-Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo.

Since then, Benjamin has been useful but not nearly the No. 1 option he was during that 2015 campaign, albeit on a putrid Browns team that finished 3-13. His final year with the Los Angeles Chargers ended with a trip to the injured-reserve list in October of 2019 with a quad injury.

Whether or not 2015 was a fluke year for him, his first two years with the Chargers would be the type of No. 3 wide receiver option the 49ers would love to see: somewhere in the 35-45 reception range for 450-plus yards would do the trick.

The question is if his age will allow him to do that again and whether or not taking 2020 off due to the pandemic might spell the end of his career.

If he’s still capable, his veteran presence might help in what is a very young Niners receiving room.