49ers Defense (1 Viewer)

[Boccioni]

Hi everyone,

I am in a league where defenses are valuable and most teams keep two defenses on their roster. I need to clear up some roster space for injuries and I am trying to decide what to do with the 49ers defense. Their schedule is still as attractive as ever, but they have shown an inability to stop even the NFC West offenses they have faced.

Is there any reason at all to believe they will be one of those defenses we see every year that finds a spark and starts to put up stronger numbers in the second half of the season?

 

[Clifford]

I don't really see any, but I have them going against Oakland. If they can't have a strong showing against Jason Campbell they are very droppable, but I am giving them one more week.

 

[The_Wolfman]

I don't really see any, but I have them going against Oakland. If they can't have a strong showing against Jason Campbell they are very droppable, but I am giving them one more week.

Hang onto them at least one more week after that. In week 7 they play the hapless Carolina offense. If they can't put up a big game against Jimmy Clausen and company that it's probably safe to drop them.

 

[elbowrm]

Their schedule looks great on paper, and I bet they get added a lot next week headed into their game at Carolina. The question becomes whether people hold onto them for week 8 vs denver at wembley, and their week 9 bye. Weeks 10-12 they face Stl, tb, and az, then week 14 sea and week 16 stl. If they put up big numbers vs Carolina, they may never see the ww again this year.

 

[Casting Couch]

I'm also holding them in a defense heavy league. Not planning on dropping them. Very nice schedule coming up.

 

[Irish Chaos]

Their schedule looks great on paper, and I bet they get added a lot next week headed into their game at Carolina. The question becomes whether people hold onto them for week 8 vs denver at wembley, and their week 9 bye. Weeks 10-12 they face Stl, tb, and az, then week 14 sea and week 16 stl. If they put up big numbers vs Carolina, they may never see the ww again this year.

This.

 

[NinerFan49]

It looks as if NT Aubrayo Franklin's holdout has really affected his play. He's not playing nearly as well as he did last year, which has really weakened the pass rush and the defense's ability to keep Patrick Willis "clean" of blockers. But if he starts to play better, the defense should return to being one of the best in the league, at least vs. the run.

I don't see the cornerbacks and pass rush improving much so there may be a few games where good passing teams light them up, but they may also give you a lot of points in a few games where they finally get some turnovers. They've been very unlikely this year in terms of being able to turn the turnovers they've created into points... But the law of averages says that *should* change at some point.

If I owned them, I'd definitely hold on to them. But I wouldn't use them vs teams with a good OL and a good passing offense.

 

[Boccioni]

Thanks everyone, and Niners Fan in particular. Very helpful. Sounds like when you add the schedule to the players that still might improve, we are in a hold situation, at least for the next couple of weeks.

 

[stronger88]

The offense isn't really helping them either. 5 TO's last week including Alex Smith's fumble which cost me 3 points. But with that said, any D/ST that plays OAK and CAR on consecutive weeks is worth rostering.

 

[NinerFan49]

y w, Boccioni.

Wanted to add a few things:

1) Niners corners gamble a lot going for picks. That gets them burned a lot. But also will get them some INTs that may turn into pick 6s.

I still think there's a good chance they'll play like a top 10 D in what's left of the season.

2) Now that Ginn is back as a returner, it's likely we'll see a lot of big plays from him there.

3) Rookie safety Taylor Mays is probably already an upgrade over the guy he replaced, Michael Lewis, who decent vs the run but awful in coverage.

If the Niners D/STs were available on my league's WW, I'd snatch them up.