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FF Ripple Effect of Crabtree Torn Achilles (1 Viewer)

LaMichael James is going to carve out a nice role with the ability to catch the football. Agree Dr Sig that he has a terrific chance to notch maybe 40-55 balls and if he can earn the trust of the team and CK then perhaps a lot more. Sproles lite...I like it. I brought this up in the back up RB thread but I feel very strongly about LMJ and I love the fact you don't have to spend much to get him. He could be top25 in PPR leagues.

 
I think Miles Austin would fit nicely in SF. Perhaps a trade.
No way does Dallas deal him to a team in the same conference, let alone the one that made it to the Super Bowl...unless they believe he's damaged goods.
 
I dont want to hijack the thread, just throwing out a name. Higher salary and a team who just took highly touted WR and a TE in rounds 2 and 3. I wouldnt hesitate to move him for a decent pick or Oline help.

 
Grabbed Lockette as he was on my radar prior to this. Sounds like him and Kaep are super tight. Could have the Romo/Witten thing going

 
Don't overthink this one, AJ Jenkins is the horse to bet on. Hopefully you acquired him before this injury.

 
Don't overthink this one, AJ Jenkins is the horse to bet on. Hopefully you acquired him before this injury.
I don't like betting on horses that have never even jogged around the infield, let alone ran a race.

I'll take free-agent-pick-up-yet-to-be-made. Brandon Lloyd maybe.

 
Nate Washington.

Nobody they have on the team is the answer, else they would already be a part of the answer (its not like the Niners or any other team says "I think we're doing as much as we need to; let's hold this Jenkins kid back and use him later). Teams attempt to squeeze out every drop of leverage they can to stress a defense.

Jenkins, to me, is not the answer. If they couldn't get anything at all out of him last year (as someone mentioned yesterday, they were using guys off the street over him at points last year), then why is he a hot name now? If he wans't ready yesterday, he's not ready today.

Boldin has clearly slowed. He's useful and they are lucky they got him right now but he can't be the answer all year.

Manningham coming back from the injury and the rookie Patton are probably the most likely to surprise, just because one has done something in the league and just needs to get healthy and the other has never had his chance.

The James stuff is just typical "its off-season and we are always looking to drum up good sleepr RB talk" talk. If there was a player on the Niners last year that could honestly come in and force teams to treat him as anything close to the madness Darren Sproles instills on defenses, he would have been out there last year.

The Niners are knocking on the door. They are not going to overhaul their entire philosophy due to an injury to one WR who, except for about 8 weeks of last year, wasn't really a focus of the team to start with. They will continue to run, olay good Defense, let Kaep evolve and probably use his legs a bit more than what they would have ideally liked, etc. They will probably try to get their new TE to block more and move Vernon a bit more. But they are not overnight going to say "let's give the fantasy guys something to drool about. Starting tomorrow, James is going to be on the field all the time and we are going to line him up everywhere and although that means we are going to throw it to him 6-7 times a game, it also means we are going to put Jenkins out there, streaking up and down the field."

This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.

 
This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.
I generally agree with this sentiment. Kaepernick is only going to throw the ball 25-28 times a game (just like last year) - so James can be a sleeper with more like 2-4 catches and 3-7 carries a game in situations that are set for him to succeed (remember the inverted veer TD run in the Super Bowl?) - point being, if we think the 49ers go even MORE conservative without Crabtree, then that actually fits with using James more, because he will be a high % pass target and change of pace to Gore/CK in the running game.

 
Nate Washington.

Nobody they have on the team is the answer, else they would already be a part of the answer (its not like the Niners or any other team says "I think we're doing as much as we need to; let's hold this Jenkins kid back and use him later). Teams attempt to squeeze out every drop of leverage they can to stress a defense.

Jenkins, to me, is not the answer. If they couldn't get anything at all out of him last year (as someone mentioned yesterday, they were using guys off the street over him at points last year), then why is he a hot name now? If he wans't ready yesterday, he's not ready today.

Boldin has clearly slowed. He's useful and they are lucky they got him right now but he can't be the answer all year.

Manningham coming back from the injury and the rookie Patton are probably the most likely to surprise, just because one has done something in the league and just needs to get healthy and the other has never had his chance.

The James stuff is just typical "its off-season and we are always looking to drum up good sleepr RB talk" talk. If there was a player on the Niners last year that could honestly come in and force teams to treat him as anything close to the madness Darren Sproles instills on defenses, he would have been out there last year.

The Niners are knocking on the door. They are not going to overhaul their entire philosophy due to an injury to one WR who, except for about 8 weeks of last year, wasn't really a focus of the team to start with. They will continue to run, olay good Defense, let Kaep evolve and probably use his legs a bit more than what they would have ideally liked, etc. They will probably try to get their new TE to block more and move Vernon a bit more. But they are not overnight going to say "let's give the fantasy guys something to drool about. Starting tomorrow, James is going to be on the field all the time and we are going to line him up everywhere and although that means we are going to throw it to him 6-7 times a game, it also means we are going to put Jenkins out there, streaking up and down the field."

This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.
Some players develop and improve after their rookie seasons, leading the team to use them more. If Jenkins, James. et. al. are never going to be a part of the offense, why would the Niners have spent early picks on them?

By no means am I saying Jenkins, James or Patton will be stars this season, but to act like they are useless just because they didn't take the league by storm as rookies or haven't had opoortunities yet is being a little short sighted.

 
Nate Washington.

Nobody they have on the team is the answer, else they would already be a part of the answer (its not like the Niners or any other team says "I think we're doing as much as we need to; let's hold this Jenkins kid back and use him later). Teams attempt to squeeze out every drop of leverage they can to stress a defense.

Jenkins, to me, is not the answer. If they couldn't get anything at all out of him last year (as someone mentioned yesterday, they were using guys off the street over him at points last year), then why is he a hot name now? If he wans't ready yesterday, he's not ready today.

Boldin has clearly slowed. He's useful and they are lucky they got him right now but he can't be the answer all year.

Manningham coming back from the injury and the rookie Patton are probably the most likely to surprise, just because one has done something in the league and just needs to get healthy and the other has never had his chance.

The James stuff is just typical "its off-season and we are always looking to drum up good sleepr RB talk" talk. If there was a player on the Niners last year that could honestly come in and force teams to treat him as anything close to the madness Darren Sproles instills on defenses, he would have been out there last year.

The Niners are knocking on the door. They are not going to overhaul their entire philosophy due to an injury to one WR who, except for about 8 weeks of last year, wasn't really a focus of the team to start with. They will continue to run, olay good Defense, let Kaep evolve and probably use his legs a bit more than what they would have ideally liked, etc. They will probably try to get their new TE to block more and move Vernon a bit more. But they are not overnight going to say "let's give the fantasy guys something to drool about. Starting tomorrow, James is going to be on the field all the time and we are going to line him up everywhere and although that means we are going to throw it to him 6-7 times a game, it also means we are going to put Jenkins out there, streaking up and down the field."

This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.
Some players develop and improve after their rookie seasons, leading the team to use them more. If Jenkins, James. et. al. are never going to be a part of the offense, why would the Niners have spent early picks on them?

By no means am I saying Jenkins, James or Patton will be stars this season, but to act like they are useless just because they didn't take the league by storm as rookies or haven't had opoortunities yet is being a little short sighted.
Sometimes good teams make bad picks. Teams like the Niners and Patriots and Packers are similar in that they are good, relatively deep, and have the luxury for taking a "swing for the fences and if it works out great, then great" pick. But all these teams, despite making some great picks over the years, have really picked some turds too. I'm not an expert on Jenkins or James and don't claim to be but the point I guess I was stating is it is really hard for ME to overlook players that get drafted high and then are bypassed by literal unknowns. That is a flag to me. Its not as big an issue for James because that's a bit of a different usage situation and they do have Gore. But, going back to the original idea posted above, if the team is clearly in the window to win now and they are truly that good, why WOULDN'T they have used James more like what is being suggested now? Gore isn't 25. The Niners made no bones about it that they didn't prefer to run him into the ground. Didn't it seem like an ideal scenario LAST year that James would be used more? But for whatever reason, we didn't see them hint at using him in the way it is being suggested they will now. Jenkins, on the other hand, IS a bigger concern. He is like the only 1st rounder EVER (or at least in the time I have been watching football) that has failed to do exactly nothing in his rookie year as a WR. You don't just draft a guy in the first round and he not get on the field enough to do something. I just think there is more to it than the simple "well, he'll be ok now."

 
from Rotoworld:

CSN Bay Area considers Vernon Davis the "strongest candidate" to pick up the slack in the 49ers' passing game.
Over the final nine games of last season (including playoffs), Davis saw just 31 targets. Michael Crabtree, the apple of Colin Kaepernick's eye, saw 89 passes during that span. Now that Crabtree (Achilles') is out until at least Week 12 -- and possibly longer -- the Niners could build a tight end-heavy passing scheme centered around the freakishly talented Davis. They used a second-round pick on Rice TE Vance McDonald last month.

Source: CSN Bay Area
 
My question is if you like to gamble like I do and want to buy low, what is a fair offer in dynasty for the guy? Second round pick 2014? Or anyone have a player in mind they would offer?

 
Dr. Octopus said:
By no means am I saying Jenkins, James or Patton will be stars this season, but to act like they are useless just because they didn't take the league by storm as rookies or haven't had opoortunities yet is being a little short sighted.
Exactly!! It's laughable that people would be writing off a 1st round pick like Jenkins. The 49ers red shirted him, so what? He wasn't ready last year, I think the signs are there that he is developing and will be in a better place this season to make an impact.

 
Obviously Lloyd or Moss, but Britt, Malcom Floyd, James Jones, Decker, Shorts, Golden Tate, Chris Givens. Nate Washington maybe. SF has picks to trade.

 
This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.
I generally agree with this sentiment. Kaepernick is only going to throw the ball 25-28 times a game (just like last year) - so James can be a sleeper with more like 2-4 catches and 3-7 carries a game in situations that are set for him to succeed (remember the inverted veer TD run in the Super Bowl?) - point being, if we think the 49ers go even MORE conservative without Crabtree, then that actually fits with using James more, because he will be a high % pass target and change of pace to Gore/CK in the running game.
I don't think the defense is as good this year. Thus, Kaepernick will be throwing more, IMO.

 
Obviously Lloyd or Moss, but Britt, Malcom Floyd, James Jones, Decker, Shorts, Golden Tate, Chris Givens. Nate Washington maybe. SF has picks to trade.
No way Shorts is traded. With the Blackmon fiasco, they cannot afford to move somebody that looked so dynamic last season.

 
This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.
I generally agree with this sentiment. Kaepernick is only going to throw the ball 25-28 times a game (just like last year) - so James can be a sleeper with more like 2-4 catches and 3-7 carries a game in situations that are set for him to succeed (remember the inverted veer TD run in the Super Bowl?) - point being, if we think the 49ers go even MORE conservative without Crabtree, then that actually fits with using James more, because he will be a high % pass target and change of pace to Gore/CK in the running game.
I don't think the defense is as good this year. Thus, Kaepernick will be throwing more, IMO.
Why is that? I can see the losses to the secondary and the new guys being unproven but I also see better health on the D-line and better depth there. Where do you think they will not be as good at?

 
My question is if you like to gamble like I do and want to buy low, what is a fair offer in dynasty for the guy? Second round pick 2014? Or anyone have a player in mind they would offer?
In the middle of a slow dynasty start-up (PPR & 1.5 for TE) and he came off the board behind 20 rookies. Looks like late 2012 2nd or 2014 2nd would be in the range of getting it done. ETA: he was the 12th pick after the Crabtree news broke, and only rookie in the 11 ahead of him was Dobson.

 
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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000206076/article/can-ricardo-lockette-help-49ers-wide-receiver-woes

Can Ricardo Lockette help 49ers' wide receiver woes?

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League Editor

The loss of Michael Crabtree has caused a lot of worrying about the team's passing game, with potential solutions ranging from signing Brandon Lloyd to A.J. Jenkins stepping up, to an offense that runs more than ever.

Barely mentioned as a potential help to the team: Colin Kaepernick's roommate.

Ricardo Lockette, 27, is a Seattle Seahawks castoff with two career catches. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011. But he has the advantages of getting home schooled by Kaepernick every night.

"Say if I'm in the shower and he's walking down the hall, he'll yell, 'Hey Lock, what do you have on so-and-so?' And I'll say, 'I've got a go (route),' " Lockette said this week via the San Jose Mercury News. "It's 24/7 learning, and just making it fun for each other."

Lockette looks the part at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. He was a national track champion in community college and Division III and is now described as perhaps "Kaepernick's closest confidant." Even before Crabtree's injury, coach Jim Harbaugh was talking up Lockette as a factor.

"There's just something about him that I'm really fired up about," coach Jim Harbaugh told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in March (via ESPN's Mike Sando). "He's got something else to him, too, besides just the analytical size, strength, speed. There's something special there. I just feel it."

Lockette says Kaepernick has come up with creative ways to help him learn the playbook, using word associations. Lockette was part of a group that trained with Kaepernick in Atlanta during the offseason, before they traveled back to their house a few miles from the 49ers' facility.

Perhaps he's a long shot, but don't be surprised if the 49ers give Lockette a real chance to have a role as a vertical threat this year. It's a skill set they need badly.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
 
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000206076/article/can-ricardo-lockette-help-49ers-wide-receiver-woes

Can Ricardo Lockette help 49ers' wide receiver woes?

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League Editor

The loss of Michael Crabtree has caused a lot of worrying about the team's passing game, with potential solutions ranging from signing Brandon Lloyd to A.J. Jenkins stepping up, to an offense that runs more than ever.

Barely mentioned as a potential help to the team: Colin Kaepernick's roommate.

Ricardo Lockette, 27, is a Seattle Seahawks castoff with two career catches. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011. But he has the advantages of getting home schooled by Kaepernick every night.

"Say if I'm in the shower and he's walking down the hall, he'll yell, 'Hey Lock, what do you have on so-and-so?' And I'll say, 'I've got a go (route),' " Lockette said this week via the San Jose Mercury News. "It's 24/7 learning, and just making it fun for each other."

Lockette looks the part at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. He was a national track champion in community college and Division III and is now described as perhaps "Kaepernick's closest confidant." Even before Crabtree's injury, coach Jim Harbaugh was talking up Lockette as a factor.

"There's just something about him that I'm really fired up about," coach Jim Harbaugh told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in March (via ESPN's Mike Sando). "He's got something else to him, too, besides just the analytical size, strength, speed. There's something special there. I just feel it."

Lockette says Kaepernick has come up with creative ways to help him learn the playbook, using word associations. Lockette was part of a group that trained with Kaepernick in Atlanta during the offseason, before they traveled back to their house a few miles from the 49ers' facility.

Perhaps he's a long shot, but don't be surprised if the 49ers give Lockette a real chance to have a role as a vertical threat this year. It's a skill set they need badly.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
Lockette just turned 27. I am not sure of the list of guys that have 2 career catches before age 27 and then become reliable producers, but guessing not good. This is relevant in terms of Jenkins' upside though. More Lockette snaps = less available for Jenkins presumably since they tend to prefer 2 TE sets.

ETA: Dang, look at his physical comparables though http://mockdraftable.com/player/474/

ETA2: Pro Football Reference has him as 23 years old http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LockRi00.htm but it looks like various other sources including the 49ers website have the 27 year old figure, just as a heads-up

 
Last edited by a moderator:
From Rotoworld:

Coach Jim Harbaugh says Michael Crabtree's old X receiver position will be opened to a three-receiver competition between A.J. Jenkins, rookie Quinton Patton, and practice squad-type Ricardo Lockette.
If one of the three doesn't grab the bull by the horns, the 49ers will probably make a move before or early in training camp. "We'll put Jenkins, Patton, Ricardo Lockette at the same position and let them compete and emerge," Harbaugh promised. "The good news is somebody will emerge because they have to." It's a huge opportunity for Jenkins, who looked like a first-round bust as a rookie. He didn't catch a single pass and was inactive for 14-of-19 games, including the playofs.


Source: CSN Bay Area
May 24 - 3:19 PM

 
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000206076/article/can-ricardo-lockette-help-49ers-wide-receiver-woes

Can Ricardo Lockette help 49ers' wide receiver woes?

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League Editor

The loss of Michael Crabtree has caused a lot of worrying about the team's passing game, with potential solutions ranging from signing Brandon Lloyd to A.J. Jenkins stepping up, to an offense that runs more than ever.

Barely mentioned as a potential help to the team: Colin Kaepernick's roommate.

Ricardo Lockette, 27, is a Seattle Seahawks castoff with two career catches. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011. But he has the advantages of getting home schooled by Kaepernick every night.

"Say if I'm in the shower and he's walking down the hall, he'll yell, 'Hey Lock, what do you have on so-and-so?' And I'll say, 'I've got a go (route),' " Lockette said this week via the San Jose Mercury News. "It's 24/7 learning, and just making it fun for each other."

Lockette looks the part at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. He was a national track champion in community college and Division III and is now described as perhaps "Kaepernick's closest confidant." Even before Crabtree's injury, coach Jim Harbaugh was talking up Lockette as a factor.

"There's just something about him that I'm really fired up about," coach Jim Harbaugh told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in March (via ESPN's Mike Sando). "He's got something else to him, too, besides just the analytical size, strength, speed. There's something special there. I just feel it."

Lockette says Kaepernick has come up with creative ways to help him learn the playbook, using word associations. Lockette was part of a group that trained with Kaepernick in Atlanta during the offseason, before they traveled back to their house a few miles from the 49ers' facility.

Perhaps he's a long shot, but don't be surprised if the 49ers give Lockette a real chance to have a role as a vertical threat this year. It's a skill set they need badly.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
Lockette just turned 27. I am not sure of the list of guys that have 2 career catches before age 27 and then become reliable producers, but guessing not good. This is relevant in terms of Jenkins' upside though. More Lockette snaps = less available for Jenkins presumably since they tend to prefer 2 TE sets.

ETA: Dang, look at his physical comparables though http://mockdraftable.com/player/474/

ETA2: Pro Football Reference has him as 23 years old http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LockRi00.htm but it looks like various other sources including the 49ers website have the 27 year old figure, just as a heads-up
He's 27 and very raw as a rookie two years ago:

Not everyone is buying high on Lockette. Chad Reuter at NFL Draft Scout slaps a "buyer beware" label on the Fort Valley State receiver. Besides the D-II competition stigma, Reuter notes inconsistent hands and inexperience. As we pointed out in the TST post about Lockette linked above, small school expert Josh Buchanan cautions draftniks that Lockette was third on his team for receptions.
 
Rotoworld:

ESPN's John Clayton calls free agent Devery Henderson a "name to watch" for the 49ers.
Clayton may be speculating because he didn't cite a source. Henderson, at age 31, can still take the lid off of defenses with straight-line speed, but has never been a natural hands catcher and probably wouldn't help San Francisco's offense much. He's generated zero interest in free agency, for good reason.

Related: 49ers

Source: John Clayton on Twitter
 
Shutout said:
thecatch said:
This is like comfort food. When you take a personal hit, you fall back on what you know and what the Niners know and are comfortable with is Gore, a heck of a defense, and grinding away.
I generally agree with this sentiment. Kaepernick is only going to throw the ball 25-28 times a game (just like last year) - so James can be a sleeper with more like 2-4 catches and 3-7 carries a game in situations that are set for him to succeed (remember the inverted veer TD run in the Super Bowl?) - point being, if we think the 49ers go even MORE conservative without Crabtree, then that actually fits with using James more, because he will be a high % pass target and change of pace to Gore/CK in the running game.
I don't think the defense is as good this year. Thus, Kaepernick will be throwing more, IMO.
Why is that? I can see the losses to the secondary and the new guys being unproven but I also see better health on the D-line and better depth there. Where do you think they will not be as good at?
The difference between them being pretty good and great on D is Justin Smith playing at an unstoppable level. I think that ship has sailed, unfortunately.
 
Rotoworld:

ESPN's John Clayton calls free agent Devery Henderson a "name to watch" for the 49ers.

Clayton may be speculating because he didn't cite a source. Henderson, at age 31, can still take the lid off of defenses with straight-line speed, but has never been a natural hands catcher and probably wouldn't help San Francisco's offense much. He's generated zero interest in free agency, for good reason.

Related: 49ers

Source: John Clayton on Twitter
Clayton has lost his usefullness years ago. Hes probably guessing
 

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