General

Week 2: Team Fantasy Reports from SB Nation

Sep 18, 2009, 2:43 PM UTC

It’s Friday, and we like to think of it as Fantasy Friday. Each week, we’ll gather team-specific fantasy reports from our SB Nation NFL blogs and post them here at SB Nation Fantasy Football. We’re tapping the knowledge-base of bloggers who follow their team’s players 365 days a year. So you know they know what’s really happening with the injuries, the position battles, the game plan; all that insider stuff that will help your fantasy team take the title.

First up, Niners Nation gives us the lowdown on the 49ers who are coming off an upset win last week.

QB Shaun Hill - At this point he's no more than a bye-week fill in. He showed something on the 49ers winning TD drive against Arizona, but he needs to show consistency before he's a viable fantasy threat. Even at his best, he's really just a situational play when the 49ers are taking on bad defenses. He's one of those guys who is a very solid "football" player, but not a worthwhile "fantasy" player.

RB Frank Gore - In terms of yards, Frank Gore struggled with 48 total yards. The day would have been a total fantasy loss if not for his two touchdowns. I can guarantee Gore will not average 1.4 yards per carry this season. The 49ers will have to make some adjustments to have a more effective ground game, but no matter what, Frank Gore will get a whole lot of touches. A struggling offensive line could potentially also mean more screen passes and passes into the flat to Gore, meaning some nice receiving yards. Week 1 aside, Gore will remain in the upper echelon of fantasy running backs as long as he stays healthy.

WR Isaac Bruce - Lost in the Michael Crabtree hubbub, and lost amidst the fans' support for Josh Morgan is Mr. Consistency, Isaac Bruce. Bruce was the best fantasy receiver for the 49ers in 2008 and looks to continue as Shaun Hill's safety valve in 2009. Don't expect many more 51 yard bombs, but he'll make a lot of third down receptions this season, meaning plenty of yards. Bruce is easily overlooked and often joked about as a fossil, but it's a good bet that he finishes 2009 as the #1 or #2 statistical receiver for the 49ers. Of course, given Jimmy Raye's penchant for running, any 49ers receiver is probably not the best guy to have in your starting lineup.

49ers Defense/Special Teams - The 49ers defense could prove to be one of the better fantasy defenses in the league this season. They may give up a good deal of points, but DC Greg Manusky has instilled a much more aggressive defense, both in the pass rush and in the secondary. The big question heading into this season was whether the pass rush would improve and week 1 was a very impressive showing, especially considering how bad the pass rush has been in the past. Even if the pass rush doesn't show up every week, ballhawks like Dre Bly and Dashon Goldson should lead to a good number of turnovers.

Many leagues roll out a defense/special teams. For the 49ers, Allen Rossum was a very solid return man in 2008 when healthy. If Rossum can stay healthy, he remains a viable threat in the return game.

K Joe Nedney - When you combine an aggressive defense with a weak offense, you've got a formula for field goal madness! Joe Nedney has been a very steady kicker for the 49ers and was rewarded with an extension this offseason. This year will likely yield a greater number of field goal attempts, meaning more fantasy points for Nedney. I don't put much value in kickers, but I think he's going to be an above average option at kicker.