Players you're most impressed by so far/ players you're most disappointed by

Joe Staley's was a bit disappointing until the Chiefs' game. I'm sure he'll be fine.

Alex Boone has probably been the worst starting OL this year (except Martin of course, but he's a fill-in starter). Missing training camp matters I guess. 2 possible explanations.

1. Boone was never all that good, and Anthony Davis just made him look good?
2. Boone is in football shape, but he's not in his best shape 'cause he missed training camp?

Hope it's 2.

Jimmie Ward hasn't been a disappointment 'cause I never expected much from him. I hope the Niners see him as a safety & not a CB; but with Bethea ballin' like crazy, I don't see the need for him. Wish the Niners took Bradley Roby like I wanted 'em to. :(

I'm actually a bit encouraged by Bruce Ellington. Loos like they're gonna use him like I was hoping they would: like a 3rd-down RB / WR hybrid. :)

biggest disappointments:
1. ward. I know hes a project but boy hes too green right now and seems to lack proper coverage technique. hes slow to respond. just not looking good out there. Im scared about someone like peyton abusing him.
2. lemonier. I thought he could be an above-average OLB like he was last year with Aldon out. so much for that
3-4. kap. I think hes playing slightly above average, but I expected big progress with this receiving core. I dont see a ton of progress, just baby steps.
3-4. boone. hold out, then suck. what are you, jawalrus ?
5. brooks. just undisciplined, out of shape, come on man. although some improvements lately

biggest surprises:

1. lynch. I knew he was an exceptional talent, but I thought him to be a big project. hes far more ready than a lot of people thought, as long as he doesnt hang out too much with aldon on weekends.
2. bethea. playing much better than I expected, especially in coverage. I expected OK/good enough, but hes been a much better safety than reid so far. his football iq and leadership stands out for me. I think our coaching has a great feel on which safeties fit the system. well, besides dahl
3. carrier. granted VD been hurt and mcdonaldalso hurt, but to gain kaps trust like that and make some tough catches..is nice

the rest of the team more or less met my expectations. Im a big cox fan (pause) so this type of play isnt quite surprising to me. stevie was always a proven WR in the NFL. guys like Big Joe and Gore and Miller and Q.... we know are studs. on the other side I was never a big cully or kilgore fan, and jmartin is a backup who is inconsistent at best...

Am I the only person who can see the SIGNIFICANT improvements Kap has made?


Btw Lynch should dominate this thread like he dominated the Chiefs yesterday

Originally posted by Quest4six:
Am I the only person who can see the SIGNIFICANT improvements Kap has made?

shhh that's called actually paying attention

Originally posted by Quest4six:
Am I the only person who can see the SIGNIFICANT improvements Kap has made?

shhh that's called actually paying attention

very impressed with Lynch, hope he keeps it up and is our OLB opposite of Aldon for years to come. Very happy with Cox.

not very happy with the play of McDonald (DE) so far. hope he gets better, we need him.

First, GREAT POST to the OP! I put my comments beside yours, mostly agree, just a cpl things 2 add.

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:
Impressed by

• Carlos Hyde (Runs with anger): Agree 100%
• Frank Gore (playing like a young Gore): Agree 100%
• Derek Carrier ( Fast with very good hands): I'm not sure why ppl praise this guy so much, he has 7 rec in 5 games, 90 yards and a fumble
• Justin Smith (playing better than last year): Agree 100%
• Aaron Lynch (Football player. Him and Aldon will be a good duo): Agree 100%
• Antoine Bethea (Might be an upgrade over Whitner, has been good in run support too): Agree 100%
• Perrish Cox (He's playing very well, most picks in NFL): Agree 100%
• *Add: Daniel Kilgore (Best OL this season)
• *Add: Ian Williams (He's been a top 5 NT in the NFL this year, wasn't very good week 1, since then he's been awesome)
• *Add: Stevie Johnson/Brandon Lloyd (both vet WR additions have been awesome & brought different dimensions to this offense, I strongly believe the offense/Kaepernick hasn't necessarily taken off yet because of the OL, once that comes together, I think Kaep will really progress & the offense will become the dynamic group we really want)
• *Add Michael Wilholte (He's not Navarro Bowman nor will he ever be, but, he's done a nice job filling in for Bow)

Disappointed by

• Colin Kapernick ( I expect a lot more out of him, I expect much more progression. Pocket presence, accuracy, touch, consistency, progressions, and reading defenses need to be much improved: See above under the Stevie Johnson/Brandon Lloyd add, Kaep doesn't have time to do much in terms of progressions & reading the D due to the constant pressure he faces. He's still making some dynamic plays with his arm & legs out there, he does need to eliminate the 2-3 throws per game that he just misses though)
• offensive line (They were actually much better this past game vs the chiefs but still have pass protection issues) : Agree 100% for now, I think this group will improve tremendously throughout the year as they get used to Kilgore at C, Boone continues to knock the rust off and most of all, Anthony Davis gets back at RT.
• Michael Crabtree (This was suppose to be his breakout year, yet seems like he's hurt again and I don't see any explosiveness): Disagree, he's been playing hurt, we now have 4 proven WRs and 2 RBs, we're spreading the ball around, Crabs is fine.
• Vernon Davis ( just because he's been injured. Want him on the field): VD's been pretty durable throughout his career, wouldn't put him on this list simply because he's missed a cpl games.
• Vance Mcdonald ( Carrier is outplaying him. He doesn't really get opportunities though): Disagree that Carrier has outplayed him, 7 catches for 90 yards in 5 games isn't all that impressive to me, not to mention he fumbled once & got lucky he didn't lose it. Vance is a much better blocker & doesn't get that many targets.
• Marcus Lattimore (I know he has a couple weeks, but until I see him declared active I'm disappointed we've yet to see him): Organization is being extremely careful w/Latt, not his fault we're deep at RB & the team can afford 2 do so.
• Ahmad Brooks ( no pass rush, looks fatter and slower): Agree 100%
• Corey Lemonier ( needs to go learn some moves with Aldon, has no moves. Thought he'd be a beast, has been very disappointing): Agree 100%
• Tank Carradine ( I think he'd be very good for our pass rusher, not given the opportunity though. How do you not know playbook yet?): Agree in the sense that it sucks he doesn't know the playbook fully yet, but more disappointed w/the coaching staff for not finding a role for his as a situational pass rusher.
• Culliver ( I thought he could be a lockdown corner before his injury. He looks slower, plays off too much, and always gives up more yards on the sideline): Culliver's never been fast, he plays off by design, he's been much better than he gets credit for.
• Special Teams ( Too many big punt returns given up. Not breaking down.): Agree 100%
• *Add coaching staff (Roman does something boneheaded each and every week, Fangio hasn't played Dial nearly as much as he should and not suiting up Tank is ridiculous, if he can't master the playbook, play him on obvious passing downs, have him rush the passer. If we had Aldon killing QBs right now it'd be one thing but we don't & aside from Cowboy and Lynch, we're not getting to the QB, unleash Tank for Christs sake)

Wow, great post! It's rare I coincide with anyone's posts. I truly am disappointed in CK7 most of all. As much as I love Kap and loathe G-Ro. I'm starting to believe a lot of Romans conservative play calling is because Kap is proving to be incapable at this time I've been arguing that Kap is better than Russell Wilson for sometime; but as of now Wilson has the edge. And about Crabs(smh) I'd let him walk this off season. Stevie Johnson has proven to be a better WR, we have him locked up for 3seasons and he's cheap. Bye bye 'Cwabtree'

Exceeds expectations: Bethea, Lynch, Cox, Wilhoite, Kilgore


Fails expectations: Iupati, Boone, Crabtree, Brooks, Culliver

Originally posted by facestabber:

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:
Impressed by

• Carlos Hyde (Runs with anger)
• Frank Gore (playing like a young Gore)
• Derek Carrier ( Fast with very good hands)
• Justin Smith (playing better than last year)
• Aaron Lynch (Football player. Him and Aldon will be a good duo)
• Antoine Bethea (Might be an upgrade over Whitner, has been good in run support too)
• Perrish Cox (He's playing very well, most picks in NFL)

Disappointed by

• Colin Kapernick ( I expect a lot more out of him, I expect much more progression. Pocket presence, accuracy, touch, consistency, progressions, and reading defenses need to be much improved
• offensive line (They were actually much better this past game vs the chiefs but still have pass protection issues)
• Michael Crabtree (This was suppose to be his breakout year, yet seems like he's hurt again and I don't see any explosiveness)
• Vernon Davis ( just because he's been injured. Want him on the field)
• Vance Mcdonald ( Carrier is outplaying him. He doesn't really get opportunities though)
• Marcus Lattimore (I know he has a couple weeks, but until I see him declared active I'm disappointed we've yet to see him)
• Ahmad Brooks ( no pass rush, looks fatter and slower)
• Corey Lemonier ( needs to go learn some moves with Aldon, has no moves. Thought he'd be a beast, has been very disappointing)
• Tank Carradine ( I think he'd be very good for our pass rusher, not given the opportunity though. How do you not know playbook yet?)
• Culliver ( I thought he could be a lockdown corner before his injury. He looks slower, plays off too much, and always gives up more yards on the sideline)
• Special Teams ( Too many big punt returns given up. Not breaking down.)

Spot on but I'd add Willis and Johnson to impressed list.


I'd add Mcdonald, Williams, Ward, Boone to dissapointed. J Martin is dissapointing but I knew that before season started.

Agree with all the above. I'm surprised more people don't mention Dawson. Kicking like a machine after a suspect preseason. I'd also add Lloyd to the impressed by list. Want to see more of those incredible circus catches; his hands and body control are amazing. Iupati is a disappointment so far, as well. And Martin at RT, at times looks like he's being bullied (sorry, had to get that in).
Wilhoite is doing better than expected, but I could do without the posturing after every tackle.

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Disappointed in Ahmad Brooks??

Brooks sets the edge where ever he lines up, dude is a terror. I've been pretty happy about the play of Brooks so far, could you imagine if the defense was without him too??

Impressed: Frank Gore, Stevie Johnson, Perrish Cox, Ian Williams, Brandon Lloyd, Michael Wilhoite


Disappointed: Alex Boone, Michael Crabtree, Jimmie Ward (I still stand by my decision that Ward was a good pick, but I think he's playing outta position, his forte is at Safety), Colin Kaepernick (I expected way more outta him with all the weapons he has and how the defense has stepped up, his awareness is horrible too)

Im disappointed that he is very inconsistent where as in years past he was solid day in and day out. An inconsistent example is look at his whiff of a tackle on Charles' big run in the 3rd quarter. It was embarassing by Brooks' standards in years past.

Originally posted by Quest4six:
Am I the only person who can see the SIGNIFICANT improvements Kap has made?


Btw Lynch should dominate this thread like he dominated the Chiefs yesterday

Oh do tell??

Originally posted by dayday44:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Disappointed in Ahmad Brooks??

Brooks sets the edge where ever he lines up, dude is a terror. I've been pretty happy about the play of Brooks so far, could you imagine if the defense was without him too??

Impressed: Frank Gore, Stevie Johnson, Perrish Cox, Ian Williams, Brandon Lloyd, Michael Wilhoite


Disappointed: Alex Boone, Michael Crabtree, Jimmie Ward (I still stand by my decision that Ward was a good pick, but I think he's playing outta position, his forte is at Safety), Colin Kaepernick (I expected way more outta him with all the weapons he has and how the defense has stepped up, his awareness is horrible too)

Im disappointed that he is very inconsistent where as in years past he was solid day in and day out. An inconsistent example is look at his whiff of a tackle on Charles' big run in the 3rd quarter. It was embarassing by Brooks' standards in years past.

How about when De'Anthony Thomas ran through Antoine Bethea and Chris Culliver, no hate mail for them??

And that wasn't just Brooks (which took a bad angle) but it was also Patrick Willis there too, no hate mail for him??

Again, I'm not sure what some of you are looking at.

Very impressed with:

Perish Cox, Aaron Lynch, Kilgore, Gore (as usual), Stevie Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Justin Smith (as usual), Bethea, Willis (as usual)

Pleased with:

Kaepernick (showing progress), Hyde, Staley, Williams, Reid, Ward, Culliver, Miller, Ellington, Carrier, Wilhoit

Disappointed in:

Boone, Iupati, J. Martin, Vance McDonald

MOST IMPRESSIVE:

1) Cox
2) Lynch
3) J-Martin
4) Looney
5) Stevie Johnson
6) Carrier
7) Wilhoit
8) Bethea
9) Nelson
10) Dawson

LEAST IMPRESSIVE

1) Tank
2) Boone
3) Crab
4) Vernon
5) Iupati
6) Lemonier
7) Culliver
8) Kaep
9) Lloyd
10) V-Mac