49ers Shaking Up WR Corps

March 26, 2008 @ 10:06:04

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

With last-place finishes in points (219), total yards (3,797) and passing yards (2,320) last year, the San Francisco 49ers needed to bring in some outside help if they wanted to improve from last year's debacle. For help, the team did not look far as they brought in former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz and former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce. They have also added former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Bryant Johnson. The 49ers have had extensive experience with two of these acquisitions as Martz and Bruce were divisional rivals earlier this decade when the Rams offense went by the nickname the "Greatest Show on Turf."

Martz's offense in previous stops in St. Louis and Detroit was characterized by a high-passing, low-protection style similar to the Air Coryell offense in the past. He favors misdirection in a lot his plays and makes extensive use of four-receiver sets on the field. However, because of the lack of pass protection, it means he needs a quarterback with a quick release (see former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, for an example). However, when it works, his offense can be one of the best in the league.

During a stretch from 1999-2003 as the Rams offensive coordinator, as well as head coach, Martz's offense averaged 390 yards per game and 466 points per season, including a then NFL-record 540 points in 2000. If the 49ers can come even close to replicating that success it should be a big boost to fantasy owners that have 49ers receivers.

Another benefit for wide receivers in the Martz offense is that he does not focus much on the running game. He had a great back in Marshall Faulk while he was with the Rams; however, Faulk was often utilized running into the flats and as a receiver on the outside of the field. Martz relies heavily upon misdirection plays and shifting his back around to open up the field. This will put a lot of pressure on the offensive line, which was a big weakness for the 49ers last year and has not improved much - on paper - this offseason.

One should also not forget Martz's ego entering into the equation. He has said he can turn this situation around and make them a top offense with the same personnel they had as last year. The passing game is his forte, and he will want to prove he is still an offensive genius after his struggles in Detroit. This likely will not entail scaling back his offense, instead keeping it just as complex as previous stints.

Problems at Quarterback

What will help the 49ers most this year is if they can get some consistent play from the quarterback position. Since being selected first overall in 2005 NFL Draft, quarterback Alex D. Smith (shoulder) has failed to live up to those lofty expectations. In his first season he threw just one touchdown in nine games, compared to 11 interceptions. He seemed to make some progress in his second year as he had 2,890 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. However, last year quickly came apart at the seams as the team failed to make much progress after some high offseason expectations. Smith finished the year on the Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury after throwing just two touchdowns in seven starts. He also completed just 48.7 percent of his passes and threw four interceptions.

If the 49ers want to be able to run Martz's offense, they will have to get better production from Smith. He could be in tough, however, as Martz has never been a huge proponent of pass protection. With Smith's slow release this could make it tough for this to work out. If he Smith struggles it does not need to be said that the fantasy value for the 49ers wide receivers will take a hit. The bonus is that Shaun Hill, the backup quarterback, is not that far behind Smith. It will be an open competition in training camp for the starting gig, according to head coach Mike Nolan. Still, it is a situation to monitor as it has a direct impact on the 49ers receivers.

Assessing the Receiving Corps

With all that being said, the question remains to be answered what kind of value the 49ers receivers have this year. With the quarterback issues and the complexity of Martz's offense, it is a situation that could take awhile to shake out so be prepared to see this last into next season.

Bruce should give the team as huge boost by bringing consistency to their receiving corps. Only once since 1999 has he caught fewer than 55 receptions. Last year, he struggled at times but still finished the season with 733 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His experience in the Martz offense should also help him and the other receivers to adapt quickly to it. However, that still doesn't mean his fantasy value will be that great, so Bruce should be nothing more than a No. 4 fantasy receiver. Injuries have been a problem for him recently, so you will want to have options in place for when he goes down.

Battle was the leading receiver for the 49ers last year, but don't read too much into that. He finished the season with 50 receptions for a total of 600 yards and five touchdowns. The touchdowns were a new career high for him, but the receptions and yardage were both down from his 2006 totals. With Martz's offense, it could take a while for him to adapt, so don't view him as any more than a No. 5 fantasy wide receiver this year. In all likelihood, Battle will be drafted as a late-round flier pick in most all formats, especially if he can't win a starting job. Battle could see his playing time cut into by the next wideout on the list.

In addition to Bruce, the team has added Johnson this offseason. Johnson was a former first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals; however, extenuating circumstances prohibited him from panning out for them with the emergence of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Johnson has great size at 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, and he is still just 26 years old. He took a step back last year as caught 46 passes for 528 yards and two touchdowns. His best season came in 2006 when he hauled in 40 passes for 740 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Johnson showed in 2006 that he could stretch the field with an average of 18.5 yards per catch, which suggests that he could find success in San Francisco under Martz. If he can win a starting job, Johnson could be seen as a No. 4 fantasy receiver with upside, although you might want to tailor your expectations at the beginning of the season.

A former first-round pick, Lelie was a disappointment in his first year with the 49ers last year. He finished the season playing in 15 games and yet managed just 10 receptions for 115 yards. He still has some speed and could be a decent deep threat in Martz's offense, but don't expect too much of him. He has been a disappointment in all but one of his NFL seasons. His value is minimal this year, and he should be looked at only when he has a favorable matchup.

Finally, wide receiver Jason Hill is a speedster who could be a decent deep threat if Lelie fails to pan out. Third and fourth receivers have had a lot of success in Martz's offense in the past (see Az-Zahir Hakim, for one example). However, Hill totaled just six receiving yards last year and is far from a certainty to start. He should be avoided in fantasy leagues unless he somehow wins a starting job.

The 49ers' receiving situation should improve from last year as they have nowhere to go but up. However, grasping Martz's complicated offense should take time, and with so much uncertainty this might be a situation to avoid in general.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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