Top Performing 49ers

The original thread was titled "49ers Pro Bowl Watchlist." I meant to start this to discuss the players playing really well, and used the Pro Bowl as a calibration for that, but the responses were all about the Pro Bowl, the voting process, the dislike for the new format, etc, an no discussion about the players I'm trying to highlight and rank on their performance so far this year...Thus the re-title. Lets see if that'll be different.

This is a list of players that I believe are making a strong case for the Pro Bowl this year:

1. Vernon Davis - If Vernon isn't in the Pro Bowl, the Pro Bowl is worthless. He's a lock.
2. Frank Gore - Having his best season in years, and my vote for MVP. Blocking, running, red-zone running, lead blocking even! Gore is without question on my top 5 favorite niners of all time.
3. Bruce Miller - Is there a better FB right now?
4. Ahmad Brooks - So no one is noticing, but Ahmad Brooks is developing into the most complete LB in the league. He's not exceptional or dominant in anything, but he's very good at EVERYTHING. Need a big play? Brooks will provide. Need someone to step up when your star OLB goes into rehab? Sure, Brooks has you covered.
5. Joe Staley - Ummm, he's pretty awesome. And he'll get in a fight with anyone this year. Is there anyone more "49er" than Gore, VD, Willis and Staley?
6. Navarro Bowman - (see Brooks above, replace OLB with ILB and "rehab" with "hurt").
7. Eric Reid - I'm not convinced he hasn't been the best player on this team, and the best FS in the NFC this year. He still has glitches (tackling, dropping INT, missing the ball on the Walker TD during garbage time), but at this point I'm nit-picking.
8. Tramaine Brock - No no, I'm not getting carried away here. Seriously, look at the kid's production this year! And that's in half the year. He's often covering the top WR (Andre Johnson), constantly staying with and blanketing his assigned pass catcher, knocking down passes (6 in 3 weeks!) and getting the picks (with a TD in there). I'm not kidding, if he keeps this up he'll be deserving of it. Can all the starting CBs on the roster hail from the NFC West?
9. Donte Whitner - He's having his best season this year. He's tackling, hitting, and not finding himself lost in coverage as much as last year. Very very strong year for Donte.
10. Anquan Boldin - Given the level of other WR in the NFC (Dez, CJ, Nelson, Fitz, Cruz, etc) he's not likely. But he's definitely in the discussion.
11. Glen Dorsey - He's a real quality NT. He probably won't make the pro-bowl, but he could be in the discussion as an alternate.

I'm not saying all these guys will make the Pro Bowl, and it certainly won't matter as the 9ers won't be participating anyways, but to this point, they're all deserving of being on that watchlist. Things can change, but 7 weeks in enough data can be collected for a watchlist. The thing to note is that I've listed players at these positions:

RB/FB, OL, WR, TE, DL, LB, S, CB

That's everything other than QB and interior OL. We have great players at both of those positions, but they're just struggling and having inconsistencies. Iupati and Boone are making plays, as is Colin, just not consistently enough for the Pro Bowl.

Surprises to be Left Off the List
Willis, Aldon, Kaep, Iupati, Boone, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Andy Lee, Dawson

Willis and Justin will make it off notoritiy alone.

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
Willis and Justin will make it off notoriety alone.

Yep. I think that could help Kaep get in as well.

pro bowl is dead to me with the new way of selecting players

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Willis and Justin will make it off notoriety alone.

Yep. I think that could help Kaep get in as well.

I don't Kaep makes it, he's behind Rodgers, Brees, and Wilson.

Kap doesn't deserve to make it right now.

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
Willis and Justin will make it off notoritiy alone.

True, the pro bowl is usually a year or two off and more about popularity but if WE were to vote all-pro's for our own team, your list would be hard to argue with (Dorsey even has a chance if he keeps playing at a very high level but not likely).

brock is going to need another monster game and grab everybody's attention he's not a household name at all

Originally posted by kray28:
Kap doesn't deserve to make it right now.

But don't forget, because the voting takes place mid-year, people should / would account for what a player has done in the second half of the previous year.

Kap won't get in though, because he doesn't have the fantasy stats, and fans from other teams hate him. Which is probably much better for us during contract negotiations.

pro bowl dong mean s**t anymore, its all about being on the All-pro team.

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Willis and Justin will make it off notoriety alone.

Yep. I think that could help Kaep get in as well.

I don't Kaep makes it, he's behind Rodgers, Brees, and Wilson.

No, he's behind Manning, luck, rivers, breeze, Stafford and Romo. But that's okay because he wouldn't be able to play in the game anyways

Originally posted by KID9R:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Willis and Justin will make it off notoriety alone.

Yep. I think that could help Kaep get in as well.

I don't Kaep makes it, he's behind Rodgers, Brees, and Wilson.

No, he's behind Manning, luck, rivers, breeze, Stafford and Romo. But that's okay because he wouldn't be able to play in the game anyways

Manning , Rivers, and Luck are in the AFC

I don't care how many make it, I just hope none of them can play in it.

jk. but yeah....I don't see Whitner, Brooks, Boldin, Brock (this year) making it.

Can someone remind me how the voting works for the Pro Bowl now?