The 49ers’ roster should be better in 2019 than it looks on paper. Some players have underachieved, others have been injured, but this season should offer a chance for some of their potential stars to break out.
Here are seven 49ers in line to see career-best production in 2019:
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
A 16-game season would mean a career year for Garoppolo. His comfort level in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense should be at an all-time high. He’s started just eight games for the 49ers since his arrival midway through the 2017 season, and he has only 10 starts under his belt in his career. Garoppolo has all the tools to be a top-end NFL signal caller, and 2019 is his chance to prove it.
WR Dante Pettis
Two knee injuries limited Pettis to just 12 games last year. He earned targets in only nine games. Weeks 10 through 16 were a sign of what’s to come for the former second-round pick. He posted 24 catches for 371 yards and four touchdowns in that six-game span. A fully healthy, more experienced Pettis should be primed for big-time production in his second season.
LB Fred Warner
A regression from Warner would be understandable after a terrific rookie season. The 49ers’ middle linebacker should take another step forward in Year 2 though with some added athleticism next to him at linebacker, and more talent on the defensive line. Warner was good in coverage last year, and working with the benefit of a better pass rush should allow him to be even more effective there. There’s a Pro Bowl in Warner’s future and it could come this season.
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
There’s going to be a big competition for the starting corner job across from Richard Sherman, but Witherspoon should win it if he has a good training camp. The third-year corner had an up-and-down second season and stands to gain a lot of experience from his struggles in Year 2. If he learns from his mistakes last season, Witherspoon should have his best season as a pro.
DT DeForest Buckner
Buckner may not get to the 12.0 sacks he reached during his Pro-Bowl campaign in 2018, but he should see a new level of play in 2019. Added talent on the edges will conceivably free up the middle for Buckner and allow him to be at his most effective. Even if his sack totals decline, Buckner should begin to peak as a player in the final year of his rookie deal. Don’t be surprised if there’s an All-Pro nod coming.
DL Solomon Thomas
It’s been a challenging first two seasons for Thomas who’s struggled to find a fit on the 49ers’ defensive line while also dealing with off-field tragedy. 2019 offers an opportunity for the former No. 3 overall pick to turn a page in his NFL career. A more permanent move inside and more help on the edges should help Thomas be more productive. It’s unlikely he’ll ever produce like the team wanted with the No. 3 pick, but he has a chance to be a strong contributor for San Francisco’s defensive line.
WR Trent Taylor
Taylor’s the frontrunner to land the slot receiver job going into camp. He should have the best year of his career if he does so. He caught 43 balls for 430 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie year, but saw his production dip after back surgery last offseason. Jimmy Garoppolo’s return will help Taylor, but so will being fully healthy. Taylor should be in line to get a ton of targets this season as a go-to pass catcher for Garoppolo. That should translate into career-high numbers for the third-year receiver.
