So, fantasy football is kind of a thing. If you lost in Week 1, the best part about losing in Week 1 is being first with your waiver claims for Week 2, and as the weeks go on, the pickings get slim. The San Francisco 49ers have some players you may want to consider after their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I figured I’d take a look at some of them and also some of the players that made our fool’s gold list and if you should hold them to a higher standard on your team. Percentage owned numbers are based on Yahoo! leagues.
Pick-ups
Matt Breida
% Owned: 83
Week 1 stats: 15 carries, 37 yards
As is disturbingly becoming a regular thing, the 49ers have an injured running back. Tevin Coleman was seen as higher on the pecking order before 2019 began and Breida could have been found in the later rounds. Given that there’s still 17 percent of leagues who don’t own him, I advise you to run, not walk, and make this your top waiver claim if you are one of that 17 percent. Coleman is going to miss some time and those of you who burned a pick on Breida now get to cash your lottery ticket.
Raheem Mostert has been very impressive and Breida needs a pitch count to be durable. We saw what happened last year. Beyond that, it’s a good idea to get him and start him. Cincinnati can’t do what they did to Seattle again. Right? Right?
Pick up or don’t pick up: Pick him up...if you can.
Raheem Mostert
% Owned: ?????
Week 1 stats: 9 carries for 40 yards, 1 reception
And with the Coleman injury comes more work for Mostert. If you are desperate for a running back, you might be looking to this guy. Now, if you reallllllly want him, you can get him later in the week once all the big fish are out and put him on the bench. It would be nice to see what he can do with the Coleman-less 49ers because he has shown he can be a productive back, but it’s too risky to start him, even against Cincinnati.
The problem is, it’s just too risky to have Mostert burning a roster spot. Breida will be running the show and you’d have to hope Mostert gets a go-around touchdown. Sit on this one for a week. He might cost a premium a week later, but no need to go homer.
Pick up or don’t pick up: Don’t pick him up
49ers Defense/Special Teams
% Owned: 5
Week 1 Stats: 17 points against, 315 yards allowed, three interceptions, two touchdowns, one blocked punt, one fumble recovery
Now the big question: Do you want to pick up the 49ers defense? Well, against Cincinnati that would be a good move, if it wasn’t for the fact we saw Andy Dalton go Joe Montana against the Seattle Seahawks.
We saw a glimpse of what could be a special defensive unit. A unit that played against a quarterback who is prone to turnovers. You also need to remember that the schedule gets harder after the Bengals and the 49ers are going to have a brutal stretch of games against some of the best offenses in the league. It’s hard to see them having a high scoring performance against anyone but the Carolina Panthers, and Washington. Well, if Week 1 is any indication.
But then again, they get Arizona twice and that tie was more on the Lions collapsing than on anything that offense could do.
If you can get them for the Bengals, they might be worth mulling over, but remember, the Bengals put up some serious offense against the Seahawks, in Seattle. It’s a boom or bust pick. After that, you can stash them for Arizona and Washington. It doesn’t seem worth a bench slot, but if you need a defense...
Pick up or don’t pick up: Don’t pick them up
Fool’s gold
Tevin Coleman
% Owned: 93
Week 1 Stats: 6 carries for 23 yards, 2 receptions for 33 yards
Well that was quick. Coleman went down with a high ankle sprain and is looking to miss some time. He was going in the fifth round for a majority of drafts and seen as a great value pick for the way Kyle Shanahan uses running backs.
Well, he’s going to be out for a few weeks. Meaning he’ll be keeping your bench warm. Right now, since you still put a fifth-round premium on him, you may as well keep him around until we know more of this ankle injury. Coleman is a candidate to be dropped after a few weeks when things become more apparent on the high ankle sprain. Week 2 is not that time.
Drop or don’t drop: Don’t drop him