Under-the-radar 49ers who make or break a Super Bowl run
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers Wide Receiver Jauan Jennings
San Francisco is finally starting to put together a quality one-two punch at wide receiver with Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, although Samuel’s recent groin injury does create a modest bit of concern regarding his health down the stretch.
Yet the 49ers are still lacking that tertiary receiving option vacated by now-New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who admirably filled that void the previous four seasons.
With veteran wideout Mohamed Sanu still out and on injured reserve, the Niners have gone back and forth between depth receivers Trent Sherfield and Jauan Jennings to see if there’s any help to be had there.
True, both offer some upside, as Sherfield was the preseason star, while Jennings’ collegiate prowess of breaking tackles offers up some hope. And his second-year results have revealed a notable uptick in his blocking abilities and “chippiness.”
That might be the X-factor San Francisco needs down the stretch.
Jennings has just eight catches for 70 yards this season, but his big-bodied physique has also led to two touchdowns, and he’s already shown the ability to proverbially “get underneath an opponent’s skin” with his physicality.
Call it an underrated trait, but that’s precisely what the 49ers will have to deploy to make a Super Bowl.