The San Francisco 49ers have been a fantasy football wasteland in recent seasons, but there's now reason to believe the team will field at least three players who will open 2007 as fantasy starters.
That list includes Darrell Jackson, Vernon Davis and, of course, Frank Gore. The NFC's leader in rushing yards last season with an impressive total of 1,695, Gore appears to be doing well as he recovers from the broken hand he suffered earlier in camp. He won't be on the field this weekend when the 49ers line up against Chicago, and reports now indicate he is out for the rest of the preseason.
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Gore has taken part in some individual drills and has caught passes while wearing a small cast on his injured hand. Barring setbacks, the fantasy stud should be fine for the regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. That makes Gore well worth one of the first five selections in all seasonal drafts.
Even when he returns to 100 percent, however, there are still some questions about Gore.
While his talent and abilities are unquestionable, Gore has had some serious issues when it comes to injuries. Back in his collegiate days at Miami, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee before the 2002 season and missed the entire campaign. He came back in 2003 and rushed for 100-plus yards in each of his first three contests, but the skilled back would tear the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee five games into the season. He returned again in 2004 and rushed for 1,000-plus yards.
Aside from the risk (whether you consider it minimal or immense), the fact that Gore no longer has Norv Turner as his offensive coordinator could also be seen as a negative. The likes of Stephen Davis, Ricky Williams and LaMont Jordan all saw decreased statistical success in the first season after Turner left their respective teams. While that is notable, it should also be known that in this case, the Niners will continue to run the same offense under new coordinator Jim Hostler, who served as the Niners' quarterbacks coach last season. What's more, head coach Mike Nolan has also stated his desire to hand the football to Gore 20-25 times each week.
That number of opportunities will allow Gore a chance to reach his goal of 2,000 rushing yards in 2007.
Outside of the top two choices in most drafts, LaDainian Tomlinson and Steven Jackson, fantasy owners will be faced with some difficult decisions, because Gore isn't the only first-round runner being scrutinized. There are also questions about Larry Johnson's quarterback and offensive line, Shaun Alexander's age and health, and Joseph Addai's abilities to be a true featured back.
When the smoke clears, Gore will be one of the first names that comes off the board despite his prior and current injuries and potential issues. Owners who do land Gore should also be certain to keep tabs on the backfield battle between Michael Robinson, Maurice Hicks and Thomas Clayton for the second spot on the 49ers depth chart. Whoever wins that role will be worth a late-round choice as insurance for Gore.
TOUGH LOVE SUITS LEINART
One of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL and fantasy football, Matt Leinart faces some very lofty expectations heading into the 2007 season. With a new head coach in Ken Whisenhunt, who is considered one of the league's best offensive minds, and weapons such as Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald at his disposal, Leinart's outlook is about as tremendous as the deserts in Arizona are arid.
In Leinart's development to the next level at the quarterback position, Whisenhunt has employed a "tough love" policy that is geared toward improving his field general's footwork. Leinart had a habit that caused him to take more of a side step then a step back when he dropped back from center, so he was too close to the line of scrimmage when he set his feet and was set to throw the football.
That habit put him closer to pass rushers and left him less room to maneuver if he needed to avoid defenders that had closed in on him.
"It's the little things like that," Leinart told the Cardinals' official website. "They are important, but I am conditioned to (doing it the old way). I have been doing it for so long that you get away with it. But at this level, I have to be on top of it. I have been working on it every day."
The difference was apparent when we compare his first preseason start vs. Oakland, where he completed 5 of 11 passes for 50 yards with no touchdowns and had poor footwork, to his second preseason start vs. Houston, when he went 7 of 7 for 70 yards and one touchdown and had better footwork.
Whisenhunt was also impressed with Leinart's improvement in his progressions. In his touchdown pass to James against the Texans, Leinart's first options were his wide receivers, Boldin and Fitzgerald. When neither was open, Leinart was calm, cool and collected in making his reads and found James for the score.
"There was no indecisiveness in what he was doing," Whisenhunt said.
While we can't expect Leinart to produce monster numbers week in and week out, he does have what it takes to be a low-end No. 1 fantasy quarterback this season under Whisenhunt. What's more, the fact that Leinart has been more of a middle- to late-round selection could make him a fabulous draft value.
NEWS & NOTES
-- Reports out of Denver indicate that veteran wide receiver Rod Smith, who continues to recover from a surgical procedure on his hip, is expected to open the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Once considered a fantasy star at his position, Smith has seen his yardage and touchdowns totals fall in each of the past three seasons. With Brandon Marshall now expected to start opposite Javon Walker, Smith would be no better than third on the depth chart when he returns and has no value in fantasy drafts.
-- The Dallas Cowboys have ruled out wide receiver Terry Glenn for the remainder of the preseason as he continues to recover from an arthroscopic procedure on his knee. He was expected to miss only two weeks after the procedure was performed, but now it appears he will miss closer to one month. At 33, Glenn has to be considered a bit of a risk in fantasy drafts despite the fact that the team expects him to be available for the regular-season opener vs. the Giants. For now, avoid Glenn as anything more than a No. 3 fantasy wideout.
-- Lions running back Kevin Jones, whose status for the start of the regular season is in question as he recovers from an injured left foot, was able to do some cutting drills through tackling dummies in Tuesday's practice. That's the first time he has been able to do such a drill since he endured a surgical procedure to repair the foot last December. Jones thinks he has a chance to be available for Week 1 against the Oakland Raiders, but fantasy owners should still consider Tatum Bell more valuable in drafts until more concrete news on Jones is available.
-- Wide receiver Mark Clayton is now expected to miss the remainder of the preseason due to an injured ankle. He suffered the ailment in the Ravens' last preseason contest, a 13-12 loss to the Giants. One of our favorite sleeper candidates, Clayton is expected to return in time for the team's regular-season opener. Unless he has a setback, look for the former Oklahoma standout to record the first 1,000-yard season of his NFL in 2007. He's still a terrific middle-round selection as a viable No. 3 fantasy receiver.
-- Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is confident that injured runner Vernand Morency will be back in time for the ream's regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, the veteran back still appears to be behind rookie Brandon Jackson on the depth chart. McCarthy plans to use both Jackson and Morency this season, but the former has more long-term potential and is a nice fit for the offense. Morency is worth a late-round pick, but Jackson is the runner owners should target.
