Jimmy Garoppolo averaged more than 300 yards passing in his five starts last season. And he did it without a recognized No. 1 receiver.
Clearly, the 49ers feel good about their group of pass-catchers. The club did not pursue a wide receiver or tight end during free agency. In the draft, the 49ers added a versatile receiver Dante Pettis in the second round. He figures to be a backup at all three spots.
Who’s Here
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Wide receivers – Pierre Garçon, Marquise Goodwin, Trent Taylor, Dante Pettis, Kendrick Bourne, Aldrick Robinson, Richie James, Aaron Burbridge, Victor Bolden, Max McCaffrey, Steven Dunbar
Tight ends – George Kittle, Garrett Celek, Cole Hikutini, Cole Wick, Ross Dwelley
Best Of The Bunch
Garçon, with his ability to work the underneath and intermediate routes, appears to be a nice fit for Garoppolo’s quick release and accuracy. Garçon was on pace for a 1,000-yard season last season before sustaining a neck injury that wiped out the second half of the season. Garçon turns 32 on Aug. 8, but he still has something left to offer with his savvy route-running and reliability on third downs.
Top Camp Battle
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Pettis vs. Taylor. The 49ers invested the No. 44 overall pick in Pettis because they envision him as a player who can contribute at all three receiver positions. However, his best fit appears to be as a slot receiver. Taylor, who had a fine rookie season, has unique ability to get open quickly. These two will not only compete for playing time on offense, but they also return punts. Taylor was steady in that role last season, while Pettis distinguished himself at Washington with a college football record of nine career punt returns for touchdowns. Taylor is expected to be cleared early in camp after undergoing what was described as a minor back procedure in the offseason.
Long Shot
It might be easy to forget about Burbridge, who spent last season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. But with a crowded group of wide receivers, Burbridge can distinguish himself with his play on special teams. He appeared in all 16 games as a rookie in 2016 and caught seven passes for 88 yards. If he makes the 53-man roster, his special-teams ability would assure him of being among the 46 players to suit up for games.
Overview
The 49ers figure to use a tight-ends-by-committee approach with Kittle and Celek. Both are solid run-blockers. Kittle has better speed to get down the field and create mismatches. Despite being plagued by injuries as a rookie, Kittle still managed 43 receptions for 515 yards and two TDs. The 49ers have a balanced group of wide receivers, too. Goodwin, coming off his breakout season, is the team’s top deep threat. He led the team with 962 yards receiving. There are a lot of options in the passing game to go along with Goodwin, Garçon, Taylor and Pettis. Bourne, Robinson, James and Burbridge will be competing for their roles. Bolden faces an uphill climb, as he serves a season-opening four-game suspension for violating league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.