2020 Dynasty Capsule: San Francisco 49ers
Every year we give our premium content members a team-by-team, player-by-player look at the NFL season that was. The coverage will be in-depth, but because the Dynasty Capsule series begins immediately after the season, we won’t use it to discuss free agency or the draft. Come see us in early May once Mr. Irrelevant is off the board for another 32-article series giving you the same detailed discussion you’ll see below.
Buckle up dynasty fans, because you’re about to be reminded why our motto is, “There is no off-season.”
QUARTERBACK
Jimmy Garoppolo (ADP: 150, QB14)
Age: 28
After winning just two games in New England, and then five more with the 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo signed a whopping $137.5-million contract that will run its course through the 2022 season. Unfortunately, in just his first season as the starter, Garoppolo suffered an ACL tear and was done for the 2018 campaign. The 49ers struggled to a 4-12 finish on the year.
Who could have predicted what would come next? Garoppolo followed up with a season where he amassed 3,979 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, finishing 12th and fifth respectively among qualifying QBs.
Garppolo was limited at the start of the 2019 off-season while still rehabbing the injury. He was surrounded by one of the youngest receiving corps in the league, and supported by a strong running game that enhanced his play-action abilities.
The emergence of receiver Deebo Samuel and acquisition of Emmanuel Sanders, along with the steady play of tight end George Kittle, helped surround Garoppolo with enough talent to help him ascend toward the top of the position in fantasy football, finishing 14th overall.
Given the continued improvement of the receiving corps, ability to work with the first team full time in the off-season, and another year with knowledge and familiarity of the offense, it is this writer’s belief that Garoppolo is ready to take another step towards being a weekly starter at the fantasy position. If you own him, he is a hold. If you are looking to acquire him, he can be had on the cheap in single-QB leagues, as evidenced by using our Trade Finder tool.
Nick Mullens (ADP: N/A)
Age: 24
He didn’t appear in a single game this season but did perform well in eight games in 2018 as a rookie free agent, throwing for 2,277 yards, 13 touchdowns and ten interceptions. Mullens is an exclusive rights free agent, and is expected to garner interest from several teams in the NFL.
If that happens, the 49ers will surely allow him to be signed elsewhere. He could be a great off-season buy-low for in 2QB leagues with deep benches.
CJ Beathard (ADP: N/A)
Age: 26
He lost the starting job in 2018 to Mullens. Beathard has not seen the field since week eight of 2018, finishing 1-9 in his career overall. He counts towards $1 million dollars in cap space for the 2020 season. I do not know if the 49ers plan to keep or release Beathard, but even if he does stick around, it’s possible that this will be his final season as an NFL quarterback.
RUNNING BACK
Note: I wrote a rather lengthy piece on the 49ers running back situation back in January.
Raheem Mostert (ADP: 98, RB33)
Age: 27
Last year was the first of Mostert’s three-year, $8.7 million deal. His elite 4.3 speed is what enabled him to latch onto the team in the first place, and his worth ethic is what helped propel him to opportunities in the backfield.
Even in a timeshare with several others, Mostert finished the season 26th among all running backs. We watched his ADP climb as a result, hovering around 250 before the season began, and finishing in the top 100 when the season ended.
Acquiring Mostert through waivers was one of the greatest success stories of the 2019 fantasy season. He earned double-digit fantasy points in each of the last six weeks of the season.
He wasn’t spectacular in any one game, mostly due to the fact that the position was RBBC, but he did perform with a higher floor than most running backs when given the opportunity to start the game. It’s my belief that this job is Mostert’s to lose.
One issue is that the 49ers have a plethora of running backs in the stable, and they will feel more comfortable rotating them during games than they would settling on any one back. However, there’s also the fact that when Mostert was given the opportunity to pave the way, he was able to get the job done week in and week out.
I think Mostert will carry nice value as a buy-low heading into next season. He will be given more chances to work with the starting unit this off-season, which along with his previous success will make him a player to buy before the April draft begins.
Tevin Coleman (ADP: 111, RB37)
Age: 26
Coleman only had 500 rushing yards on the year, and the bulk of that happened in the first half of the season. He lost his job running ineffectively behind a quality offensive line, while other running backs on the team managed to perform at a high level.
He was only used heavily once in the playoffs vs the Vikings, but I suspect that was because the 49ers knew they could put work on Coleman’s body while simultaneously resting others. Coleman was greatly ineffective after the Vikings contest.
The 49ers could cut Coleman without incurring a single dollar in penalty. If they retain him for the 2020 season, it’ll cost the 49ers $5 million. I suspect the cash-strapped 49ers will ditch Coleman this year and fill his spot with some late-round picks.
While Coleman may have a market, it’ll be his third team in four years, and a deep rookie field only further muddies his future. He currently sits at 111 on the ADP, but he’s been trending downward with no end in sight. I would trade him away while you still can.
Matt Breida (ADP: 105, RB34)
Age: 24
Breida started as the main backup to Coleman when he went down, and performed well in limited action through the season. In his three years on the team, he has amassed 2,500 total scrimmage yards – not bad for a timeshare.
One knock on this kid is his soft tissue injury history. He can’t seem to stay on the field in the game without getting hurt, but I suppose a 5’10”, 190-pound frame will take more abuse than the average running back.
Breida is a restricted free agent this off-season. The price to tag him will be cheap, and if another team decided to make a run for him, the 49ers will simply let him go. However, because the rookie class is so deep at running back, I suspect that other teams will go that route instead and Breida will remain a 49er.
With less competition for carries on the assumption that Coleman will be gone, I think Breida will be a quality backup/flex for any Mostert owner. In my opinion, he’s not worth the cost of his current ADP, but he is worth a throw-in on any trade coming your way.
Jerick McKinnon (ADP: 180, RB58)
Age: 27
He hasn’t done anything to prove he can stay on the field, nor has he shown that he’s an integral part of the offense. The 49ers have had success without him and would save over $17 million over the next two years if they release him, which I suspect they will.
His ADP is 180. I don’t know who’s paying for his services, but I’d gladly get whatever I could from anyone who is willing to pay. He might latch onto another team during free agency, but I’d rather play it safe than sorry.
Jeff Wilson (ADP: N/A)
Age: 24
Wilson is an exclusive rights free agent. If the 49ers make a move to retain him, he’s worth a stash in deep benches. If they do not, he’s forever irrelevant. This could go either way, and I’ve seen far too little of him on the field to be able to guess which way they are headed.
WIDE RECEIVER
Deebo Samuel (ADP: 41 WR23)
Age: 24
This kid had somewhat of a meteoric rise in the second half of the season. Part of this was due to his incredible athletic ability, and the other part of that was because the 49ers were on TV a lot in the second half of the year.
Samuel’s ADP has risen quickly. His size and speed is unlike most other WRs in the NFL. Combine that with the fact that he’s a perfect fit for this offense, and that he’ll be entering his second year presumably as the lead WR, and I’d say we’re in for quite a season in 2020.
Check out the ADP trend and trades below. I think he’s a bargain at his current price and you should snatch him up while you can. Reminder: All of this information was acquired using tools that come with your subscription through DLF’s tool page.
Emmanuel Sanders (ADP: 132, WR60)
Age: 32
One of the reasons that the 49ers did better offensively in the second half of the season was because of the arrival of Emmanuel Sanders. The offense was better when he was on the field, and put a big emphasis on when. His injuries prevented him from performing at a higher level all year.
Sanders was a better fit as a mentor than as a cog on the offense. I think it would take between $4-5 million to retain his services, and while that might sound like a bargain, the cash-strapped 49ers may be unable to do that.
If you own him, I would hold. If you don’t own him, I would wait to see where he ends up before making an offer. If he’s back with the 49ers, I think he’s a safe buy for a mid-late third-rounder.
Kendrick Bourne (ADP: 221, WR90)
Age: 24
He is a quality WR3 on the team, but wasn’t someone you wanted to rely on day in and day out. He had a number of drops that weren’t concentration problems, just the inability to haul it in. I’d acquire him on a deep bench as a backup to Deebo Samuel for a fourth-rounder, but not much else.
Marquise Goodwin (ADP: 237, WR100)
Age: 29
First of all, I just want to express how happy I am for him now that he has a daughter of his very own. If you don’t follow, he’s been trying to start a family with his wife and it’s been nothing short of one heartbreaking experience after another. He’s one of the good guys in the NFL and deserves all the great fortune that comes his way.
That said, I don’t see much for his future in the NFL. He’s nearing 30 years old and is slowly losing ground to the other young guys ahead of him. His contract figure for the seasons is over $5 million, and with just 186 receiving yards last season, he might not be back with the team in 2020, or any team for any relevance for that matter.
Dante Pettis (ADP: 165, WR71)
Age: 24
Pettis had a good freshman year, and following that up with a horrid sophomore season. At one point his ADP was as high as 63, but since then he has fallen so low he’s almost irrelevant.
He was criticized for taking it easy in the off-season last year. The results showed on the field. Perhaps tutelage through Sanders will be enough to get him to work harder this time around, and Pettis will flourish as a result.
Pettis is the ultimate wild card on the team. He has the athleticism and ability to be a stud as he has shown it before. In my opinion, he’s a great buy-low candidate for 2020 because of his low-risk high-reward. I’ve seen him go for as little as a fourth-rounder; a great deal.
Jalen Hurd (ADP: 188, WR79)
Age: 24
Hurd was a third-round pick but got hurt before he had a chance to show us anything of significance. He has the body of a running back and played that position in college before switching to wide receiver.
His ADP is steadily between 180-190. He’s a solid hold at the moment. I think a lot of what the 49ers do when considering retaining the services of Goodwin and Sanders depends on how Hurd is doing in his recovery.
TIGHT END
George Kittle (ADP: 21, TE1)
Age: 26
Kittle is on the last year of his rookie deal, and will definitely be signed to a long-term contract soon, either this year or next. As expected, his YAC fell back to Earth in 2019, but he still managed to amass over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns, solidifying his status as the top TE to own.
There’s not much more to say here. Studs are studs and will perform as such. You could sell high if you like, but owning a stud tight end is an advantage over all other teams, especially in TE-premium leagues. I’d sit tight and enjoy the ride.
Ross Dwelley (ADP: N/A)
Age: 25
This ERFA showed some flash in the absence of Kittle during the season. It wouldn’t shock me to see another team make a run at acquiring him and giving him a shot at a starting spot. If you have extremely deep benches in a TE premium league, I’d use it to stash Dwelley before free agency starts. It could be a sneaky payoff.
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- The Dynasty Value of Trading a 2023 Rookie Pick for a 2024 Pick - May 19, 2023
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