So far I've taken a look at Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and Glen Coffee for these posts. Every player so far except for Glen Coffee has averaged mostly in Very High and High ratings. I'm really intrigued in this next guy though. As always, let's hope for realistic and settle for crazy bias, because I'm OK with that.
Morgan, ever since his first training camp, has been viewed as a player with a lot to offer the team. He hasn't exactly been great for us, the best thing he's done in a 49er ruin has simply been always being one step away from a breakout season and a late-round fantasy tease. Not to be too blunt about it, but that's what it is for now.
He's a great blocker, but beyond that what skills he actually brings to the receiving game are hard to pin down. At times he'll seem like a burner, but at times he'll seem like he's slow when he's caught from behind. At times he'll seem like he has surefire hands, but to counter that he'll drop it because it "came down like a punt". You get where I'm going with this.
Still, he's been decent, good enough for his draft status, better even - and he'll probably have this year as his last year to "break out" before 49ers fans start clamoring for a replacement. I know there are those here on Niners Nation who firmly support Josh, and I know there are some who don't see anything special. I suppose I'm somewhere in between. For me, I think about him - and it's completely possible that he can be a great receiver. Then I watch him and I just don't see a whole lot there. So yes, I'm placed firmly in the middle as far as his actual receiving talent goes.
But what's your confidence in him? Is he a great number two? A solid number two? Could he be a number one receiver, or should he not even be a starter? Make the jump for my confidence criteria...
Very High: Morgan benefits from a stable situation at the wide receiver position and becomes a very reliable number two guy. Morgan gets 1000 yards or just under it as the number two WR behind Michael Crabtree. We'll win a couple games because of him.
High: He will develop as we expect, and his season can still be classified as "breakout" even without reaching something like 1000 yards. He'll get around 700 hards and be praised as a very "complete" receiver due to his blocking ability. Again, will snare a couple touchdowns.
Medium: Morgan will play largely like he does now. He won't be spectacular, and at times will be invisible, but it will still show. Maybe even good enough to have a "breakout" season in 2011. Somewhere around 500 yards, a touchdown or two and he will look the same as he does.
Low: He'll regress, and lack of passes even thrown his way will contribute to it. He can't survive in the league as a number two receiver putting up what he does and he'll be the conversation piece for the 49ers faithful.
Very Low: Ashley Lelie