49ers fantasy football: Trey Lance implications in 2021

Fantasy football owners are likely playing the long game with 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance, although he might be one of those smart stash players in 2021.

We’re likely at least a full year or two away from San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance ascending the NFL signal-calling ranks towards the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes or the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen.

Assuming Lance’s rocket-like ascent continues from the early hope and hype we’ve seen thus far during Niners training camp. Even that is a lofty hope at this point, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

For fantasy football owners entering 2021, Mahomes and Allen are two of only a handful of quarterbacks worthy of first-round consideration, and most fantasy strategists still suggest waiting until the later rounds to grab a QB1 anyway.

Let’s get this part out of the way: Don’t spend an early pick on Lance no matter what your San Francisco fandom tells you.

Lance could eventually be one of those Round 1 fantasy football studs at some point in his career, perhaps in the next couple of years. But unless you’re operating some sort of dynasty league — and those are awfully cool and challenging — Lance is merely a player to watch on the waiver wire as the season rolls along.

At best, a final-round stash just for the heck of it. A move to let the rest of the league know, “See, I told you so.”

49ers fantasy football: Trey Lance is worth a look in deeper leagues only

For starters, we still have zero clue whether or not Lance will emerge as the 49ers’ starter this season. Forget about Week 1. There’s a chance Lance remains the No. 2 option behind the veteran, Jimmy Garoppolo, for the entirety of 2021, effectively making the rookie a non-factor in even the deepest of fantasy leagues.

True, there’s the possibility Lance usurps Garoppolo at some point this year, even though head coach Kyle Shanahan has regularly indicated Jimmy G as the team’s starter.

Read More: Kyle Shanahan coy about Trey Lance starting in 2021

Consider Lance usurping Garoppolo on the depth chart just one hurdle, a massive one, the first-year signal-caller has to achieve. While Garoppolo’s injury history makes Lance an interesting handcuff, there isn’t necessarily much more to his value than that.

Currently, according to Fantasy Football Calculator, Lance has a 13.01 average draft position in 12-team PPR leagues.

There are upsides, of course. If Lance winds up starting at some point this season, his cannon-like arm and sizable rushing prowess could turn into god-like weekly fantasy points that seemingly came out of nowhere.

Yet the ADP evidence suggests Lance won’t be worth anything more than a late-round flier, perhaps better served as a waiver-wire add once the Niners’ quarterbacking situation plays itself out, and then only if Garoppolo somehow loses his starting job.

Unless you’re playing in one of those dynasty leagues, do yourself a favor and pass on Lance for now on draft day.

Let’s revisit this discussion a year from now instead.