NFL Draft 2009: The Top 5 San Francisco 49ers to Draft

After an incredibly bad start last year, the San Francisco 49ers began to turn things around late in the season behind former Maryland quarterback Shaun Hill. Hill rallied the team to 5 victories in the final 8 games to salvage a 7-9 overall record. This year, with the addition of Michael Crabtree, Hill should be able to continue where he last left off, and the 49ers should be able to make a run at the NFC West. As a result the 49ers should have a few choice players for Fantasy Football owners to keep an eye on. Here then are the top five 49er players to go after in a 2009 Fantasy Football Draft.

Frank Gore (RB)

While Gore has not gotten close to the lofty Fantasy Football numbers he put up in 2006, he is still a top tier runner who will easily get you 1,500-1,700 yards from scrimmage. Last year, despite missing a few games late in the season, Gore ended up with 1,036 yards rushing and another 373 yards receiving. Though he is an excellent runner, it is Gore's ability to catch passes that will make him a top three round pick this season. Despite how unattractive the 49ers Offense may look on paper make room on your team for Frank Gore.

Michael Crabtree (WR)

Few rookies will start the season with the expectations that will be placed on Michael Crabtree. After posting ridiculous numbers in college, Crabtree will be asked to be the second coming of Jerry Rice by Bay area fans. Can Crabtree deliver? Who knows? Still, even if he gets off to a slow start, Crabtree should be good for a +50 catch, +800 yards year by season's end. There are plenty of receivers who will have a better season than Crabtree this year, but if he is still on the board late in the draft, take a chance on him, he may come with a big pay off.

Vernon Davis (TE)

Perhaps this is the year that Vernon Davis makes good on his first round selection in 2006, after all the 6-3, 250 lbs Tight End has a world of physical talent. Davis' numbers though took a steep dive in 2008, and he ended the season with 31 catches for 358 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Still, if you are looking for a sleeper pick with a sky high ceiling at Tight End, you should look no further than Davis. With the addition of Michael Crabtree, Davis should enjoy a productive 2009, and a +60 catch, +700 yards season is not out of the question.

Isaac Bruce (WR)

Bruce is coming to the end of a long and successful NFL career in which he has caught 1003 passes for 14,944 yards. Last year, at 35, Bruce caught 61 passes for 833 yards and 7 touchdowns, which though not the lofty numbers he has put up in the past, are still good Fantasy Football numbers. With Crabtree on the team, Bruce should have an easier time duplicating last year's effort and his numbers should once again hover around the 60-800-6 level.

Shaun Hill (QB)

Though he played just 9 games last season, Shaun Hill's numbers were respectable. The undrafted quarterback from Maryland topped the 200 yard mark in 7 out of the 9 games he played in, and threw for at least 2 touchdowns in 5 contests. How he will do in 2009 remains to be seen, though it is a safe bet that he will be penciled into the starting lineup instead of Alex Smith. If you are going to draft Hill this year, be sure it's as a backup and not a starter.

Statistical Sources:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sfo/stats