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San Francisco 49ers Report

Dec 18, 2009, 9:05 PM UTC

For more on the 49ers, check out SBN’s Niners Nation

The 49ers fantasy options face an intriguing matchup against a tough Philly defense. More importantly, it’s going to be down in the 30s with a chance of snow. Snow always livens things up and could mean trouble for many of these 49ers.

RB Frank Gore would likely benefit the most from inclement weather. Gore is coming off a huge game against Arizona that netted him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Gore is a weekly must-start, although owners will have to deal with likely inconsistencies week to week. A lot of this depends on the play-calling. And given the fact that the Eagles have a fairly explosive offense, the 49ers could be playing from behind all day. The upside to even being behind is that Gore gets a lot of catches out of the backfield.

QB Alex Smith didn’t exactly blow people away last Monday Night, but he’s finding the end zone, which is certainly a big plus each week. However, given that this is the playoffs for fantasy football, it’s questionable whether you roll the dice with him. If you’re a heavy underdog it might be worth the risk given his big upside. But if you’re a favorite it’s probably smarter to play it safe.

WR Michael Crabtree remains due for a huge performance, but this might not be the week. However, Crabtree is consistently getting yards and is a regular target of Alex Smith. He’s a great flex option, and even a possibly decent #2 receiver.

TE Vernon Davis is the biggest scoring threat on the 49ers. Even in the toughest matchup he’s a must-start over just about every tight end in fantasy football.

The 49ers defense faces an explosive Philly attack and could give up a lot of points. However, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb while still somewhat mobile is a guy they can definitely sack. The 49ers rank #7 in the NFL in total sacks so you’re likely to get some points out of that. The defense plays especially aggressive, and while I wouldn’t expect similar turnover numbers to last week, they’re a good bet to get something out of it.

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