We’re past the midseason mark and still have some football left. It’s time to look at all the 49ers units and discuss what we like and don’t like out of them for 2018.
So the wide receivers. The running backs did well, the offensive line has done well, what have the wide receivers done?
This is a hard question to answer. The San Francisco 49ers are ranked 23rd in passing yards, but some of that is to the credit of the amazing running game. The biggest problem of the pass catchers has been consistency. The No. 1 wide receiver as people like to call it is a bit of an overrated term, but the 49ers don’t have one to rise above everyone else. In their place is schemes to get people open (hello Kendrick Bourne!) and plays designed to get the ball to any wide receiver.
Pierre Garçon, a person who should be the No. 1 has had a couple nice games, but more often than not, he’s either invisible or quite literally not there due to injuries. Garçonhas yet to crack 60 yards receiving in any game yet. Given that paycheck, it’s not very settling.
Then there’s Marquise Goodwin. A game changer...when he’s on the field. Goodwin has managed to crack 100 yards only once. He’s looked and played better than Garçon in several levels. Again, he’s been injured at points.
Then again, it seems like everyone not named Kendrick Bourne is injured. Bourne has been a go-to guy for scheming open for touchdowns in the redzone, but the 49ers haven’t used him in the open field much at all for 2018. Bourne also has cracked 50 yards only once in 2018.
Then there’s the rookies. Richie James has shown things, but not enough (nothing bad, just sample size). Dante Pettis had an amazing catch in Week 1, but went mute shortly after that. The wide receivers are definitely developing, but no one has managed to break out and stand above the rest. Kyle Shanahan can scheme his receivers open, and he does it quite well, but name one wide receiver you knew was going to get extra attention from the defense? The only one that comes to mind is Marquise Goodwin who can be a game changer, but when you look at his absolute stats, you realize he’s just another tool in Shanahan’s offense. Then again, that’s not a bad place to be in.
What are your impressions of the wide receivers at midseason?