San Francisco's crowded running back room has probably got the most preseason ink, but it's a mess at wide receiver, too. Dante Pettis, Marquise Goodwin, Trent Taylor, Richie James, Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd are all in contention for roles, and most of them could wind up as the No. 2 -- or a whole lot lower.
(That's without even mentioning Jordan Matthews and Kendrick Bourne, both of whom look like roster longshots -- San Francisco definitely isn't cutting one of its rookies or second-year guys for them.)
Taylor broke a bone in his foot last week, so he's done for the preseason. Kyle Shanahan says there's a hope Taylor will return for Week 1, but that sounds like one of those things coaches say -- and there's plenty of time for one of the youngsters to lock up a starting role.
Pettis (a year ago) and Samuel were selected earliest, drafted in the top 50 picks. Pettis looks pretty secure as the No. 1, having a handful of strong performances as a rookie and sharing the team lead with 5 TDs. In a four-game stretch late last year he caught 17 passes for 338 yards and 4 TDs; top-quality production.
Samuel has generally been drawing praise in camp, but there's a learning curve for rookie wideouts, and seems optimistic to count on him starting right away. Goodwin went over 900 receiving yards two years ago, but got hurt and otherwise disappointed last season (and with San Francisco continuing to draft receivers early, it doesn't look like the team is counting on him).
Hurd caught 2 TDs in last night's preseason game, which is good to see but neither one was anything special. Built like a tight end and having played a lot of running back in college, it's still hard to be sure how the team will use him in its offense.
If you're drafting today, I think Pettis can be safely selected on the hope he'll be the No. 1 (or No. 2 target, behind George Kittle). Among all wideouts who started at least 7 games a year ago, only 16 put up more fantasy points per game than Pettis, and they're all No. 1 caliber receivers.
| WR FF POINTS PER START, 2018 (7-PLUS STARTS) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | No | Yds | Run | TD | FPG |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 16 | 5.4 | 92.4 | 9.4 | .88 | 15.4 |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 15 | 6.9 | 86.5 | .0 | 1.00 | 14.6 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 15 | 7.4 | 92.4 | .0 | .89 | 14.6 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 16 | 7.2 | 98.3 | -.4 | .69 | 13.9 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 16 | 7.1 | 104.8 | .8 | .50 | 13.6 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 16 | 5.4 | 95.3 | .0 | .56 | 12.9 |
| Odell Beckham, NYG | 12 | 6.4 | 87.7 | 6.0 | .56 | 12.7 |
| Adam Thielen, Min. | 16 | 7.1 | 85.8 | 1.9 | .58 | 12.3 |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 16 | 7.8 | 87.8 | .0 | .56 | 12.2 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 8 | 5.0 | 70.8 | 3.1 | .75 | 11.9 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 16 | 6.9 | 89.1 | .8 | .46 | 11.7 |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 9 | 5.1 | 77.1 | .0 | .67 | 11.7 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 14 | 5.4 | 90.7 | .0 | .43 | 11.6 |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 16 | 5.4 | 76.2 | 9.8 | .44 | 11.2 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 12 | 6.2 | 70.8 | 10.7 | .50 | 11.2 |
| Stefon Diggs, Min. | 15 | 6.8 | 68.1 | 4.1 | .62 | 11.0 |
| Dante Pettis, S.F. | 7 | 3.3 | 65.0 | -.3 | .71 | 10.8 |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 7 | 4.6 | 71.9 | .0 | .57 | 10.6 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 12 | 5.9 | 72.3 | 5.6 | .44 | 10.5 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 14 | 5.4 | 73.4 | .2 | .50 | 10.4 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 16 | 3.6 | 60.3 | 4.3 | .65 | 10.3 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 16 | 6.1 | 74.8 | 4.7 | .40 | 10.3 |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 16 | 5.0 | 75.3 | 4.3 | .38 | 10.2 |
| Amari Cooper, Oak.-Dal. | 15 | 5.0 | 67.0 | 1.3 | .47 | 9.6 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 13 | 5.0 | 64.8 | .0 | .46 | 9.3 |
| DeSean Jackson, T.B. | 12 | 3.4 | 64.5 | 2.4 | .42 | 9.2 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 15 | 4.7 | 70.9 | .5 | .33 | 9.1 |
| Josh Gordon, N.E. | 9 | 4.0 | 70.9 | .0 | .33 | 9.1 |
| Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 16 | 4.0 | 51.3 | 1.7 | .63 | 9.1 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 9 | 3.9 | 56.4 | .0 | .56 | 9.0 |
| Jarvis Landry, Cle. | 16 | 5.1 | 61.0 | 5.7 | .33 | 8.7 |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 16 | 2.7 | 41.5 | 1.8 | .71 | 8.6 |
| Josh Reynolds, LAR | 8 | 3.3 | 45.6 | 1.0 | .63 | 8.4 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 15 | 3.7 | 52.8 | .0 | .49 | 8.2 |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 14 | 3.6 | 53.7 | -.6 | .43 | 7.9 |
| DJ Moore, Car. | 10 | 4.2 | 59.7 | 12.6 | .10 | 7.8 |
| Allen Robinson, Chi. | 13 | 4.2 | 58.0 | .7 | .31 | 7.7 |
| Sammy Watkins, K.C. | 10 | 4.0 | 51.9 | 5.2 | .30 | 7.5 |
| Corey Davis, Ten. | 16 | 4.1 | 55.7 | 3.4 | .25 | 7.4 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 16 | 4.1 | 52.4 | 2.9 | .31 | 7.4 |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 16 | 4.1 | 44.8 | 6.1 | .38 | 7.3 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 16 | 4.1 | 54.5 | 2.1 | .27 | 7.3 |
| Golden Tate, Det.-Phi. | 15 | 4.9 | 53.0 | 2.3 | .29 | 7.3 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 16 | 4.3 | 45.9 | 1.0 | .42 | 7.2 |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 13 | 3.8 | 47.5 | .0 | .38 | 7.1 |
| Adam Humphries, T.B. | 16 | 4.8 | 51.0 | .7 | .31 | 7.0 |
| TreQuan Smith, N.O. | 10 | 2.6 | 39.8 | .0 | .50 | 7.0 |
| Devin Funchess, Car. | 10 | 4.1 | 51.6 | .0 | .30 | 7.0 |
| Zay Jones, Buff. | 16 | 3.5 | 40.8 | .0 | .46 | 6.8 |
| Christian Kirk, Ariz. | 12 | 3.6 | 49.2 | 2.9 | .25 | 6.7 |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den.-Hou. | 15 | 3.9 | 45.1 | .0 | .33 | 6.5 |
| Kenny Stills, Mia. | 15 | 2.5 | 36.9 | .1 | .47 | 6.5 |
| John Brown, Balt. | 16 | 2.6 | 44.7 | .3 | .31 | 6.4 |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 16 | 4.0 | 46.0 | 2.5 | .25 | 6.3 |
| Kendrick Bourne, S.F. | 8 | 3.6 | 47.6 | .0 | .25 | 6.3 |
| Rashard Higgins, Cle. | 13 | 3.0 | 44.0 | .0 | .31 | 6.2 |
| Jordy Nelson, Oak. | 15 | 4.2 | 49.3 | -.1 | .22 | 6.2 |
| Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 7 | 3.4 | 32.0 | 4.1 | .43 | 6.2 |
| Antonio Callaway, Cle. | 15 | 2.9 | 39.1 | .5 | .36 | 6.1 |
| Tyrell Williams, LAC | 16 | 2.6 | 40.8 | .9 | .31 | 6.1 |
| Jamison Crowder, Was. | 9 | 3.2 | 43.1 | 3.3 | .22 | 6.0 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 16 | 2.6 | 44.0 | -.1 | .25 | 5.9 |
| Marquise Goodwin, S.F. | 11 | 2.1 | 35.9 | .8 | .36 | 5.9 |
| Anthony Miller, Chi. | 15 | 2.2 | 28.2 | 2.0 | .47 | 5.8 |
| David Moore, Sea. | 13 | 2.0 | 34.2 | .4 | .38 | 5.8 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 13 | 2.8 | 44.5 | 2.2 | .15 | 5.6 |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 9 | 4.2 | 42.6 | .0 | .22 | 5.6 |
| Paul Richardson, Was. | 7 | 2.9 | 37.4 | 1.3 | .29 | 5.6 |
| Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 16 | 4.2 | 43.0 | 3.8 | .13 | 5.4 |
| Dontrelle Inman, Ind. | 9 | 3.1 | 33.8 | .0 | .33 | 5.4 |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 16 | 4.1 | 42.0 | .0 | .19 | 5.3 |
| Donte Moncrief, Jac. | 16 | 3.0 | 41.8 | .0 | .19 | 5.3 |
| Michael Gallup, Dall. | 11 | 2.5 | 38.6 | .0 | .21 | 5.1 |
| Michael Crabtree, Balt. | 16 | 3.4 | 37.9 | .0 | .19 | 4.9 |
| John Ross, Cin. | 13 | 1.6 | 16.2 | .7 | .54 | 4.9 |
| Quincy Enunwa, NYJ | 11 | 3.5 | 40.8 | .0 | .09 | 4.6 |
| Willie Snead, Balt. | 16 | 3.9 | 40.7 | .8 | .06 | 4.5 |
| Chris Hogan, N.E. | 16 | 2.2 | 33.3 | .0 | .19 | 4.5 |
| Danny Amendola, Mia. | 15 | 3.9 | 38.3 | .8 | .09 | 4.4 |
| Taywan Taylor, Ten. | 12 | 3.1 | 38.8 | .0 | .08 | 4.4 |
| Josh Doctson, Was. | 15 | 2.9 | 35.5 | .0 | .13 | 4.3 |
| Pierre Garcon, S.F. | 8 | 3.0 | 35.8 | .0 | .13 | 4.3 |
| Chester Rogers, Ind. | 15 | 3.5 | 32.3 | -.3 | .18 | 4.3 |
| Seth Roberts, Oak. | 15 | 3.0 | 32.9 | .3 | .13 | 4.1 |
| Keelan Cole, Jac. | 13 | 2.8 | 36.4 | .0 | .08 | 4.1 |
| Bruce Ellington, Hou.-Det. | 7 | 4.4 | 32.0 | .3 | .14 | 4.1 |
| Chris Conley, K.C. | 16 | 2.0 | 20.9 | .0 | .31 | 4.0 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 10 | 2.4 | 30.9 | .0 | .10 | 3.7 |
| Martavis Bryant, Oak. | 8 | 2.4 | 33.3 | 2.9 | .00 | 3.6 |
| Kelvin Benjamin, Buff. | 12 | 1.9 | 29.5 | .0 | .08 | 3.5 |
| Jermaine Kearse, NYJ | 13 | 2.8 | 28.6 | .0 | .08 | 3.3 |
| Tajae Sharpe, Ten. | 14 | 1.9 | 22.6 | 1.1 | .14 | 3.2 |
| Allen Hurns, Dall. | 7 | 1.9 | 22.6 | .0 | .14 | 3.1 |
| James Washington, Pitt. | 9 | 1.8 | 24.1 | .0 | .11 | 3.1 |
| Marcell Ateman, Oak. | 7 | 2.1 | 22.0 | .0 | .14 | 3.1 |
| TJ Jones, Det. | 9 | 1.8 | 17.1 | .0 | .22 | 3.0 |
| Ryan Grant, Ind. | 13 | 2.6 | 25.4 | .0 | .08 | 3.0 |
| Chad Williams, Ariz. | 10 | 1.7 | 17.1 | .9 | .10 | 2.4 |
But I think the rest might end up rotating on and off the field -- the ones that make the team -- making it tough to count on any of them. Samuel and Hurd and perhaps even James are most interesting in dynasty leagues.
--Andy Richardson