Quarterbacks - Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert - 21/25
Kaepernick deserves alot of credit for what he's accomplished in such a short time in San Francisco. In his first year as a starter, he lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, then he followed it up with a trip to the NFC Championship. Any QB who can do that is more than deserving of having a bad season. Kap is the best runner at his position and he has one of the strongest arms in the league. He's an elite athlete capable of carrying an offense. With that said, his stock will depend completely on how he performs in 2015 after the losses of Jim Harbaugh, Frank Gore, Mike Iupati, Anthony Davis and more. If the 49ers can make the playoffs, I'll be convinced that he's one of the premiere young QBs in the NFL. If not, I wouldn't be surprised if San Fran tries to trade him as early as next year.
Offensive Line - Joe Staley, Brandon Thomas, Marcus Martin, Alex Boone, Erik Pears - 20/25
Iupati and Davis are huge losses, but the line should still be pretty great. Staley, Pears and Boone are all proven vets who should help Thomas and Martin develop and carry them until they do. Staley and Boone in particular are very underrated.
Running Backs - Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush, Kendall Hunter, Mike Davis - 11/15
Hyde will take over Frank Gore's role as the featured back in an offense that loves to run the ball. He should have no problem putting up similar numbers that Gore did in his prime as long as he can stay healthy. Reggie Bush can still be a valuable contributor and is a great change of pace on 3rd downs as their skills sets are completely different. Hunter and Davis are solid.
Ironically Kaepernicks starting receivers this year are the same pair that Joe Flacco had in the Super Bowl. Boldin is my favorite receiver in the league. He's fearless going over the middle of a defense and his QB can always count on him in clutch situations to fight for the ball and bring it down. He's past his prime but he's still the standard for what a possession receiver should be. Torrey's best trait might be drawing pass interference flags, but that's not an insult. He can take the top off a defense and his route running has improved every year. An elite #2 option.
Tight Ends - Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald - 8/10
Nobody knows what happened to Vernon Davis. He went from being a consensus Top 5 TE to a non-factor. He has all the skills to bounce back but it seems like he's lost interest. The 49ers might lose another to retirement. It would be more likely that he signs somewhere else next year.
Intangibles - 6/10
What Jim Harbaugh did for this franchise is literally amazing. I've never seen a sports team go from being so bad to so great in so little time without a roster overhaul. Now that he's gone, along with some of the 49ers best players deciding to retire, things might get ugly. Luckily for the offense, they still have enough talent in the right places to compete.
Like Matt Ryan, Rivers is as great as a QB can get without taking the next step in the postseason. His pocket presence is up there with the NFL's best. He can be counted on to deliver in the clutch and his awareness is top notch. Yet he somehow can't win when it counts. 4-5 in the playoffs would be a pretty good record for a 7 year veteran but Rivers has been in the league too long to be this mediocre when it matters most. If he can't guide his team to a Super Bowl win, he'll never be remembered as a great QB.
Offensive Line - King Dunlap, Orlando Franklin, Chris Watt, Kenny Wiggins, DJ Fluker - 17/25
All 5 starters are solid without any real standout. Dunlap and Fluker are an above average set of tackles. Franklin and Watt are good enough to start. The group will struggle against top tier pass rushers but should be above average in the ground game.
Running Backs - Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead, Branden Oliver, Donald Brown - 12/15
Gordon is in a position to be the most impactful rookie on offense in the league. He's similar to Jamaal Charles in his play style and can be a 3 down starter right away. Woodhead and Oliver are good receivers but their size limits them. Brown has potential but never stays healthy.
Stevie Johnson is somewhat underrated. His game can be compared to Torrey Smith's and he can be an effective #2 or 3 option. Keenan Allen is a lower tier #1 option but still growing and already good enough to get the most targets on the team. Floyd is inconsistent but underrated as well. Jones is an elite returner with breakaway speed but has terrible hands and won't contribute much as a WR.
Tight Ends - Antonio Gates, Ladarius Green - 7/10
This rating would be higher if Gates didn't get suspended for the first 4 games of the season. Last year he reminded fans that he's still a threat and he should have at least 1 more great season left in his tank. Green, the future Hall of Famer's supposed replacement, has never lived up to the hype. He'll have his chance this year.
Intangibles - 9/10
The Chargers are a hungry team capable of winning with the roster they have in place. They should challenge for a wild card spot in the playoffs. Rivers is good enough for the team to rally around, and Gordon gives fans alot to look forward to.
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