The kind of chemistry 49ers quarterback Trey Lance develops with his receiving targets in training camp will play a vital role heading into the 2022 season.
Unlike the Chicago Bears, who essentially are leaving their second-year quarterback, Justin Fields, out to dry in 2022 with a complete lack of an offensive arsenal, the San Francisco 49ers have done their best to ensure quarterback Trey Lance is as well supported as possible entering his first full year as a starter.
Five of the nine players the Niners selected in this year’s NFL Draft were on the offensive side of the ball, and there were a number of key free-agent pickups, too, who’ll ultimately look to assist Lance amid the transition from his predecessor, Jimmy Garoppolo.
With Garoppolo, there were some trends as to which pass-catching targets he’d prefer. Given Lance had so little field time his rookie season, it’s much harder to gauge just who winds up being the go-to members of San Francisco’s receiving corps this season.
Training camp, kicking off later this summer, will provide a lot of evidence. But before we start hearing reports of which pass-catchers Lance is relying upon heavily, let’s try predicting the five he utilizes the most this season.
Trey Lance’s favorite target No. 5: 49ers WR Ray-Ray McCloud
It was tempting to put the 49ers’ third-round draft pick, wide receiver Danny Gray, here. But Gray’s absence from mandatory minicamp because of a leg injury opened up the door for one of those free-agent pickups to shine on the offensive side of the ball, former Pittsburgh Steelers return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud.
McCloud might have had fumbling issues earlier in his career. But as far as catching the ball goes, the 25-year-old McCloud has a sizable advantage over Gray, whose drops at SMU certainly hindered his draft stock despite his blazing-fast speed.
Gray might still be a gadget weapon whom Lance targets on special occasions. Yet McCloud demonstrated that straight-line speed during practices, too, and it wouldn’t be entirely shocking at all to see head coach Kyle Shanahan deploy McCloud as a receiving option for much of 2022 while Gray acclimates.
While the numbers for the primary return man might not be great on the offensive side of the ball, it’s within reason to see McCloud boast in the range of 25 catches for 315 yards and two touchdowns.
Trey Lance’s favorite target No. 4: 49ers WR Jauan Jennings
As far as unsung heroes from the Niners’ playoff-bound 2021 season go, few deserve as much praise as wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
While Jennings’ 24 catches for 282 yards doesn’t move the needle much when looked at without contest, the fact he boasted five touchdowns and had eight of his 10 third-down receptions last year go for a chain-moving first down speaks volumes.
Simply put, Jennings came through in the clutch when needed. It might have not been all that often, but when Jennings made an impact, it was big.
Granted, Jennings might see a slightly different role with Trey Lance under center compared to Jimmy Garoppolo, the latter often relying more on Jennings in those short-yardage situations where the former Tennessee wideout would serve as a physical possession-type receiver.
Lance, meanwhile, might look to pass deep, which isn’t Jennings’ game.
However, a much more potent offense could actually help improve Jennings’ numbers over what he put forth a season ago, maybe not by the way of touchdowns but increases in both receptions and yards to a line of 30 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns.
Trey Lance’s favorite target No. 3: 49ers TE George Kittle
It might be easier to assume All-Pro tight end George Kittle would be among the two favorite targets for Trey Lance this upcoming season, and there’s an argument to that. Tight ends are frequently a young quarterback’s best friend and most reliable go-to option, and Kittle needs to reassert himself as a primary receiving threat in 2022 anyway.
However, it’s fair to wonder whether or not that chemistry between Lance and Kittle is there yet.
During Lance’s first NFL start, Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, the tight end was absent with injury. And when Lance got his second start way towards the end of the regular season in Week 17 against the Houston Texans, Kittle caught just one pass out of the 23 he attempted that day.
Granted, it went for 29 yards, but it’s still notable that Kittle wasn’t Lance’s preferred target in the game.
At any rate, Kittle’s stat line in 2022 could be aided by Lance’s ability to extend plays, thereby allowing the tight end to get open and rely less on contested passes.
The numbers for catches might see a slight dip from last year, but look for Kittle’s yards and touchdowns to increase from last year to the tune of 65 grabs for 950 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Trey Lance’s favorite target No. 2: 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
Out of all of San Francisco’s receiving weapons returning from 2021, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk arguably stands to benefit the most from Trey Lance being under center.
Aiyuk’s early statistical struggles last year stemmed from a few things, one of them being his role as a deep threat who could stretch the field. However, Jimmy Garoppolo never had the arm strength to take advantage when Aiyuk managed to get open deep, and the chemistry struggled as a result.
Additionally, as Niners Nation’s Kyle Posey pointed out, Aiyuk excels on outside slant routes and digs, frequently performing his craft beyond the numbers, another area of the field Garoppolo rarely targeted.
Read More: Expect Brandon Aiyuk to thrive with Trey Lance under center
This will change with Lance, who isn’t afraid or unable to throw outside the numbers or down the field, which leads to the idea Aiyuk could finally net his first 1,000-yard season at the NFL level.
With opposing teams looking to lock down All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel this season, don’t be surprised if Aiyuk posts 65 catches for 1,100 yards and six touchdowns.
Trey Lance’s favorite target No. 1: 49ers WR Deebo Samuel
While Brandon Aiyuk might see the biggest leap in production because of Trey Lance taking over, that doesn’t remove the fact Deebo Samuel is still the 49ers’ largest offensive threat.
Samuel is poised to command a lucrative contract extension between now and the start of the regular season, and the Niners will unquestionably want to get their money’s worth by feeding the multifaceted offensive weapon as much as possible, as long as it doesn’t involve Samuel being used too frequently as a rusher, of course.
As such, it’s probably foolish to think the 2021 All-Pro comes close to the 1,770 all-purpose yards he had last season, 1,405 of which came through the air.
Want your voice heard? Join the Niner Noise team!
Additionally, Samuel is no longer an under-the-radar player and has emerged as an NFL superstar, meaning opposing teams are going to draw up their defensive game plans around the idea of stopping or limiting him.
That’ll create plenty of other opportunities for San Francisco’s other receivers in 2022, which is great, but it will hinder Samuel’s own production.
To a point.
Samuel might see a statistical regression from 2021, but it’s not out of the question to see him boast 70 catches for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns en route to another Pro Bowl year.