NFL Preview: San Francisco 49ers

QB: D+ I'm not buying this whole "Alex Smith is an NFL QB" movement. He's still the same guy who sucked for years before a grenade went off in his shoulder. Why the team is high on him is a mystery to me. Shaun Hill is ok in a Kyle Orton kind of way but the team doesn't really seem behind him. He has a weak arm as well which can be trouble in SanFran.

RB: B Frank Gore is above average when he can stay healthy. Even when healthy though he is prone to disappearing for big chunks of the season. I would avoid him in fantasy at all costs. If you do take him, handcuff either Robinson or Coffee for insurance.

WR: C- Josh Morgan is pretty ok and Issac Bruce still has some juice left but the big news is their jackass diva rookie. apparently Michael Crabtree is so good that he is willing to sit out all year and reenter next years draft. Yeah right. Everyday this idiot runs his yap without signing makes Al Davis not look so crazy after all.

TE: D+ C'mon, don't buy into Vernon Davis again. Your just going to get hurt.

OL: C+ Hmm. Joe Staley and Marvel Smith at tackle. Everyone else, not so good.

DL: C Whew, not much here either. Justin Smith is the nominal pass rusher but in the 3-4 the DL just needs to free up backers to make plays. I'm not sure they're up to it but they do play in the West, so anything is possible.

LB: A- Finally! Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Ahmed Brooks and Takeo Spikes. I'm not sure it gets better than that. See why they play the 3-4? FANTASY TIP! If you play in an IDP league, Willis is a guy you need to target.

DB: B Not bad. Clements and Bly should be pretty good at corner while Goldson and Lewis might be a little sketchy but still, you could do worse. The problem here is the lack of pressure the DL gets on the QB.

P/K: B+ Joe Nedney.

COACHING: B Assuming Mike Singletary can keep his pants on, they should be fine. He gets into my good graces for giving Davis the smack down he needed last year.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Boy, this team sucks but they could win the WEST.......I'll say 10-6 2nd in the WEST.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: This could get really bad. I mean Lions-esque bad. Crabtree looks like nothing but trouble, the OL is below average and both QB's are injury prone and a little sucky when healthy. Frank Gore is always good for at least 4 games missed due to injury as well. One of these years he's going to miss 12+.