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Vance McDonald (1 Viewer)

What's the pools thought on Vance ? Possible pick up for ROS? Targets were 4,5,7 last few weeks.

 
Obviously the Davis departure was the catalyst. But besides the uptick in usage - to go along with a new QB - what sealed it for me was Celek going down.

There's a lot there to be optimistic going forward. Yet still under the radar.

 
Gronk fill in but I like how focused Gabbert is on him. Even with a so so matchup vs. Chicago this week, I think the volume is there and you can't say that about too many TEs right now.

 
As a Gronk owner I did a bunch of homework on WW-class TEs this week. I ended up grabbing Tamme, but McDonald was right in the mix. I think I had em ranked Tamme, McDonald, Clay, Tye, Fleener.

 
Saw several people touting Vance as a Sleeper this year in the Breakout, Sleeper, Bust thread here... has there been some news or rumors I haven't seen? Curious to hear any opinions on this guy, especially from a dynasty perspective.

 
Saw several people touting Vance as a Sleeper this year in the Breakout, Sleeper, Bust thread here... has there been some news or rumors I haven't seen? Curious to hear any opinions on this guy, especially from a dynasty perspective.
I've always liked him. His hands are a little suspect but he's kind of a bully after he catches the ball. I really like how physical he is. When he's been given the chance he has looked good. SF has a couple good TE prospects so it's no guarantee that he's going to get enough targets. That's kind of the problem......

 
McDonald was a nice prospect as a rookie from the Harbaugh years where the offense used a lot of 2 and 3 TE sets. He had Vernon Davis ahead of him and TE generally take awhile to develop.

Harbaugh left and SF is in a rebuild. Davis is no longer with the team however so McDonald should be their starting TE.

Chip Kelly likes to run a lot of plays on offense and his offense has been friendly to players at the TE position. SF lacks quality receiving targets increasing the potential opportunity for the starting TE.

He started in 11 games according to PFR last year.

From games 9 to 16 he had 30 targets 21 receptions 262 yards 3TD

4 targets 4 receptions 65 yards 1TD
7 targets 6 receptions 71 yards 1TD
3 targets 2 receptions 18 yards 
didnt do anything
4 targets 1 recpetion 10 yards
7 targets 5 receptions 61 yards 1TD
5 targets 3 receptions 37 yards

If his role in the offense and production stayed the same over 16 games as the last 8 games he would get 60 targets 42 receptions 524 yards and 6TD

Given that Chip Kelly may increase his opportunity 60 targets is likely fewer than he may get in 2016. I could see 80 or more targets being possible for him. If he is able to maintain a 70% catch rate on 80 targets would be 56 receptions, which could push him in TE one (top 12) territory.

 
I've always liked him. His hands are a little suspect but he's kind of a bully after he catches the ball. I really like how physical he is. When he's been given the chance he has looked good. SF has a couple good TE prospects so it's no guarantee that he's going to get enough targets. That's kind of the problem......
He has opportunity....but I totally disagree with your view of his performance.  His hands have been terrible, routes suspect, and blocking poor.  He flashed a bit last year but I'm on record in the Niner thread calling him another 2nd round bust.  As a Niner fan I hope you are right....

 
I admit I didn't watch many 49ers games after the first week last season. I was reading elsewhere that McDonald hands have been inconsistent. Maybe Chip Kelly doesn't end up liking that. What other TE options are available who could perhaps be better?

 
McDonald was a nice prospect as a rookie from the Harbaugh years where the offense used a lot of 2 and 3 TE sets. He had Vernon Davis ahead of him and TE generally take awhile to develop.

Harbaugh left and SF is in a rebuild. Davis is no longer with the team however so McDonald should be their starting TE.

Chip Kelly likes to run a lot of plays on offense and his offense has been friendly to players at the TE position. SF lacks quality receiving targets increasing the potential opportunity for the starting TE.

He started in 11 games according to PFR last year.

From games 9 to 16 he had 30 targets 21 receptions 262 yards 3TD

4 targets 4 receptions 65 yards 1TD
7 targets 6 receptions 71 yards 1TD
3 targets 2 receptions 18 yards 
didnt do anything
4 targets 1 recpetion 10 yards
7 targets 5 receptions 61 yards 1TD
5 targets 3 receptions 37 yards

If his role in the offense and production stayed the same over 16 games as the last 8 games he would get 60 targets 42 receptions 524 yards and 6TD

Given that Chip Kelly may increase his opportunity 60 targets is likely fewer than he may get in 2016. I could see 80 or more targets being possible for him. If he is able to maintain a 70% catch rate on 80 targets would be 56 receptions, which could push him in TE one (top 12) territory.
To add to this, week's 11, 12, and 16 McDonald averaged 17ppg. He suffered a concussion in week 13, sat out week 14, and (I believe) came back too early in week 15. His big games came against Seattle, Arizona, and Detroit. I'm holding out hope that he "broke out" in week 11 and will continue from there...

 
Biabreakable said:
I admit I didn't watch many 49ers games after the first week last season. I was reading elsewhere that McDonald hands have been inconsistent. Maybe Chip Kelly doesn't end up liking that. What other TE options are available who could perhaps be better?
Vance's hands were so bad he made Vernon Davis look like ODB.

 
They also have Blake Bell, if you're looking for a longshot to take a flyer on.


And Busta Anderson... between those 4 and whatever they add in the draft, you probably have your 49er starter at TE this year.  Bleak.  Blech.  Block.

 
They also have Blake Bell, if you're looking for a longshot to take a flyer on.
I am not really. I think McDonald is a long shot for fantasy relevance. Bell and the other TE would be even longer odds I think but I do not know much about them.

What makes Bell a better option?

I was able to draft McDonald in the 19th round of a dynasty start up mock draft recently. Pick 224, I considered that to be good value. 

 
I am not really. I think McDonald is a long shot for fantasy relevance. Bell and the other TE would be even longer odds I think but I do not know much about them.

What makes Bell a better option?

I was able to draft McDonald in the 19th round of a dynasty start up mock draft recently. Pick 224, I considered that to be good value. 
I've got no reason to think Bell is better, or McDonald is better.  To me, they all seem like throws of the dart.  For a while I was carrying different ones on various teams, then cut bait on all of them when more interesting flavors of the month popped up.

One of them will likely eventually emerge as the primary TE target in a decent offense.  But my crystal ball is pretty hazy on which one that will be.

 
Blaine Gabbert and TEs coach Jeff Nixon both talked up Vance McDonald following Tuesday's minicamp practice.
"He’s a guy that we have to utilize," Gabbert said. "He’s a mismatch nightmare on linebackers." Nixon spoke even more glowingly of the fourth-year tight end: "The sky is the limit. He’s very talented. He has the size and the speed. I’m expecting a big year out of Vance. We’re looking for him to take off right from where he left off last year, being a big-play tight-end target for us in the pass game." McDonald started the final eight games of 2015, catching 24-of-37 targets for 294 yards and all three of his scores. With Vernon Davis now gone, McDonald figures to be locked in as the starter and was a favorite of Gabbert's the final month-plus.

 
 
Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat 
Jun 7 - 9:39 PM




 

 
 

Vance McDonald is listed as the 49ers' starting tight end on their initial depth chart.
McDonald has been rotating first-team reps with Garrett Celek throughout camp. One beat writer recently suggested McDonald is San Francisco's No. 3 tight end, behind Celek and Bruce Miller. Depth charts at this point of the summer mean very little, but this seems to confirm other reports that McDonald is having the "best offseason of his career." Celek and Blake Bell are listed as the co-No. 2 tight end with Miller curiously listed on the third-team offense. Torrey Smith, Bruce Ellington, and Quinton Patton are the first-team receivers.

 
 
Source: 49ers.com 
Aug 10 - 8:36 AM

 
I really like McDonald this year in best ball formats, thought not sure I would want him as my TE1 in redraft.  Somebody has to catch the ball in SF and McDonald put up pretty solid numbers with Gabbert at QB last year.  

 
I didn't want to talk about this guy much until I secured him in my rookie/fa draft. Ellington just went down for the year and Gabbert who loves throwing to him is starting. This guy could easily see 7+ targets a game. Then you start looking at this guy's combine numbers and he's a true freak in every sense of the word. He's as strong as anybody in the league and very fast for his size. Not just long speed either he's twitchy on tape at nearly 270 pounds. 

The situation is ripe for a breakout season and I'm fully on board. He's a top 10 TE this year. 

 
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Hmmmmm definitely looking at him now. Needed to pick up a #2 TE to replace Watson in my PPR league. Was leaning towards the outlaw Jesse James. 

 
Grab him late in one of my league's. I think he has breakout potential for sure. There's not a whole lot there in terms of WRs in his way. The passing game looks like it's Torrey Smith and Vance McDonald. Go back and look at the Eagles TEs with Kelly there:

2013:

75rec/1069yds/11TDs

2014:

98rec/1147yds/6TDs

2015:

105rec/1305yds/5TDs

I'll gladly roll the dice late with McDonald.

 
Yeah got saved by that TD but not a good day. 3 targets isn't enough to make him startable. 
I believe he was #12 among TE's this week in scoring, which makes him a TE1, for now.

It's a little early to throw in the towel on McDonald, given his ADP, he came cheap. SF's Offense plays fast and keeps Defenses on their heels, I'm riding it out and see how it develops. He only got a couple targets late, and if thats his floor game, I'm in.

 
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This wasn't a very good week for TE's.  I wouldn't give up on him just yet.  He shouldn't be anyone's TE1 anyway and the other TE's available on waivers are probably no better.

 
Think game script had a lot to do with last night. The 49ers aren't going to be totally dominating most teams they play this year. They didn't need to throw much, which hurt McDonald for sure. He out-snapped Celek 51-46.

 
I believe he was #12 among TE's this week in scoring, which makes him a TE1, for now.

It's a little early to throw in the towel on McDonald, given his ADP, he came cheap. SF's Offense plays fast and keeps Defenses on their heels, I'm riding it out and see how it develops. He only got a couple targets late, and if thats his floor game, I'm in.
Yeah Def not throwing the towel in. I just expected more involvement. It's cause for a slight downgrade imo though.

 

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