Do not draft the 49ers DST. DE Ray McDonald's arrest for domestic violence is the tip of the iceberg for a unit that's already suffered injuries--some minor, some serious--to starters Antonio Bethea, Navarro Bowman, and Glenn Dorsey, as well as the suspension of Aldon Smith.
The Niners' offense is not built around an explosive passing attack. So any setback to the D could force Kaepernick to throw it more, bumping up the stats of Crabtree, Boldin, Davis, etc. But I'm still not solid on San Francisco's passing game as a fantasy-friendly unit.
The big issue is the defense, which has been a perennial top 3 DST for several years. If McDonald misses six games (per the NFL's new domestic violence rules), this group might be unplayable in five of its first seven games (vs. the Cowboys, Bears, Cardinals, Eagles and Broncos). Even if McDonald's ruling is delayed, I predict the Niners will be no better than a streaming defense for most of the season, and likely will finish outside the top 10.
So don't buy into the past. Today's 49ers have more holes than a golf course, and will be far more frustrating to play every Sunday.
The Niners' offense is not built around an explosive passing attack. So any setback to the D could force Kaepernick to throw it more, bumping up the stats of Crabtree, Boldin, Davis, etc. But I'm still not solid on San Francisco's passing game as a fantasy-friendly unit.
The big issue is the defense, which has been a perennial top 3 DST for several years. If McDonald misses six games (per the NFL's new domestic violence rules), this group might be unplayable in five of its first seven games (vs. the Cowboys, Bears, Cardinals, Eagles and Broncos). Even if McDonald's ruling is delayed, I predict the Niners will be no better than a streaming defense for most of the season, and likely will finish outside the top 10.
So don't buy into the past. Today's 49ers have more holes than a golf course, and will be far more frustrating to play every Sunday.