It's not hard to see why San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dante Pettis is receiving a good deal of hype heading into 2019.
While Pettis' 467 receiving yards his rookie 2018 season don't seem special, the fact he averaged 71.8 yards per contest over his final five games last year, to go along with four touchdowns during that span, suggests his second NFL campaign could end up being a pretty good one.
Bleacher Report's Chris Roling certainly thinks so, listing Pettis as the Niners candidate to break out in 2019.
Roling wrote:
Were it not for a massive logjam in the backfield, this conversation might pertain to one of the four capable contributors at running back. Instead, the breakout talk for the San Francisco 49ers has to center on wideout Dante Pettis.
Pettis, a second-round pick in 2018, had a knee injury hamper the early portion of his debut season and then resurface near the end. Even so, he finished with 467 yards and five scores despite poor surroundings, which gives bright hope for the future with a starter back under center and the team improved.
All reports from the 49ers this year have commented on a fully healthy Pettis. By season's end, he should be the No. 1 wideout for the offense and on plenty of breakout lists.
One of the elements making Pettis such a threat is his exceptional footwork, which was on display during the 49ers' win over the Denver Broncos last year. In the video below, Pettis is lined up on the right side of the formation, quickly getting open and into the end zone for a touchdown:
A full year under head coach Kyle Shanahan, combined with defenses likely shifting attention to Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle, should open up more doors for Pettis in 2019.
And while he's yet to establish himself as a true go-to guy, the early signs of Pettis having a breakout year certainly are good enough.
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Written by:Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
