ESPN NFL Rank does not look good for 49ers

Originally posted by eastcoast49ersfan:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/NFLRANK2015/top-100-players

With Aldon Smith gone, the 49ers have no top 50 players (at least according to this ranking) and their only top 100 players are Joe Staley (31 years old) and Navarro Bowman (27, but coming off a severe injury). On the other hand, the Seahawks have 7 players in the top 50 and 9 in the top 100. If Bowman stays healthy, he may ascend in next season's rankings, but this is one of the least talented 49ers teams in a long time. This may be the least talented roster since 2007, but I felt a lot better about that roster with talented young players like Willis, Gore, Davis, and Staley who we could build a team around.

It took 4 year for that team to make the playoffs and the division has only gotten stronger. How long do you think it will take for the 49ers to make the playoffs again?

I just don't see what the issue is... It's not a team ranking it's ESPN's version of the top 100 players & while people might not agree with the order, the players on the list are about right. Bowman's ranking is what you'd expect coming off of the injury, the way he is looking in preseason if it continues throughout the year like you said he'll be on the top half of the list by this time next year.

It's gonna be the team performing well together, rather that a few elite guys putting it on their back that determines how successful the niners are this season. Starting with the D got to keep teams scores low!

Originally posted by RealSapster4Niners:
It's all good. The Hayne Plane will lift the team, and the non-believers will eventually believe

He has got a long way to go before he's in top 100 discussions! (If ever*) Make the roster first (He will 99.9% sure) Finish the season & stay in the league second (Average career length is between 3.5-4 years) #Good Luck to him!

Right now, when you talk about good - these players come to mind

Bowman
Reid
Hyde - assuming the OLine improves...big if
Staley

Avg to maybe good:
Kaep - on the days he plays well
Torrey Smith - assuming he had the necc reps with Kaep and team.

I think the 49ers are in the bottom half of the league. Does it matter if 19th or 24th ranked...all the same.

Only ratings that matter are Ws and Ls.

These rankings are pointless. There's always going to be breakout players every year, and these lists can't account for that. I bet to start 2011 we had 2 guys on the list too. By 2012 we probably had 10 lol. We've got some fresh, new talent on both sides of the ball. Some won't pan out, but some definitely will. Hyde, Dial, Acker, Tartt look pretty darn good.

Originally posted by SofaKing:
These rankings are pointless. There's always going to be breakout players every year, and these lists can't account for that. I bet to start 2011 we had 2 guys on the list too. By 2012 we probably had 10 lol. We've got some fresh, new talent on both sides of the ball. Some won't pan out, but some definitely will. Hyde, Dial, Acker, Tartt look pretty darn good.

Yeah I'm betting only Gore and Willis were on the list around that time.

Originally posted by SportOvaFilmTV:
He has got a long way to go before he's in top 100 discussions! (If ever*) Make the roster first (He will 99.9% sure) Finish the season & stay in the league second (Average career length is between 3.5-4 years) #Good Luck to him!

That's not the point. Teams of individual superstars often don't make good teams. They still need to work together and perform as a team.

What do the stats say about the performance of teams with higher average or median player rankings at the beginning of season?

ok

Originally posted by NorthBay49er:
ok

Well that clears that up. Thanks.

Originally posted by SofaKing:
These rankings are pointless. There's always going to be breakout players every year, and these lists can't account for that. I bet to start 2011 we had 2 guys on the list too. By 2012 we probably had 10 lol. We've got some fresh, new talent on both sides of the ball. Some won't pan out, but some definitely will. Hyde, Dial, Acker, Tartt look pretty darn good.

I agree with you but still don't have high hopes for this team coming into the season. Just look at this list: Iupati, A.Davis, Gore, Willis, Borland, A.Smith and J.Smith. Those are all pro bowl or near bro bowl caliber players for crying out loud. Try as people might, you are not going to find 7 new guys with near pro bowl level talent this season, it is not going to happen. And that is just to get to break-even.

I am encouraged by the direction the new team seems to be heading schematically and by the play of some promising young players in Acker, Tartt, Bell and Armstead, but this team is a few years away and that's assuming Kaepernick gets better and isn't just what he is.

The play of the offensive line, and in particular the recent draft picks, is very disheartening.

Pshhh ESPN is a clown show. Only thing good about them are their office commercials.

Originally posted by 49ersking:
Right now, when you talk about good - these players come to mind

Bowman
Reid
Hyde - assuming the OLine improves...big if
Staley

Avg to maybe good:
Kaep - on the days he plays well
Torrey Smith - assuming he had the necc reps with Kaep and team.

I think the 49ers are in the bottom half of the league. Does it matter if 19th or 24th ranked...all the same.

Hyde is no where close to proving he is good. He might be, we will see this year.

Reid I think has been above average, when healthy.

I actually think Boldin has been good. I feel better about Boldin than Torrey TBPH.

Well, that cinches it. Our season is over , we are going to be lousy and all is lost if ESPN says so. Might as well not even watch the games or read about our team. Whoa is us. All is lost. We are doomed.

Right....

Originally posted by NCommand:
Nice post man!

Here are our first & second year starters (the rest are veteran starters and most with playoff experience) and my analysis:

Ward, Jimmie (2) - Second Year Starter - Reports are he's flying around and showing speed Reid has never seen before. But we've yet to see him. The good news? We don't 'need' him to play Slot CB. The defense is moving to many 3 and 4 S-looks under Mangini and this fits Ward's strengths to a T. We now have others who can slide into the slot depending on the personnel we face (i.e. big & RZ = Johnson, Epic Speed = Reaser, Solid #3 WR = Brock).
Hyde, Carlos (2) - First Year Starter - This dude just has 'it' to me every time he touches the ball in between the tackles, off tackle in the ZBS, pass protection and in the passing game.
Ellington, Bruce (2) - First Year Starter - Here is a slot WR who can be used in various packages out of the backfield, from the slot, etc. Great short-area quickness and has some top end speed as well. So many ways we can use him!
Martin, Marcus (2) - First Year Starter - Natural born C. Now that he's in better shape, playing in a ZBS he loves himself, we may see a big year from him. That experience he got last year did more for him than we'll ever know!
Devey, Jordan (2) - First Year Starter - Older, 27 year old "calm" RG; that is, unless you take a shot at his QB. Martin loves his nastiness and demeanor. Like Martin, the experience he got last year with the Superbowl Champs could pay off dividends but it may take a minute. Also, he'll be playing in a new ZBS as well and early reports via film work and coaches meetings, he's picking things up very quickly. We'll see. If not we have Looney, Thomas, Tiller and maybe Farrell behind him. Also, Kilgore may be back mid-season as well.
Dial, Quinton (2) - First Year Starter - The dude played LDE all TC and then d/t injuries, had to play NT at 6'6". . He had an outstanding year despite constant shuffling around him on the line and behind him at ILB/OLB. That experience is already paying off as he's slated to be the RDE given his strength and leverage (he learned playing NT). Expect him to be a base down starter with Carradine/AA playing in rotation with him.
Lynch, Aaron (2) - First Year Starter - Just a perfect, natural SAM in the 3-4. Health and conditioning are his only issues. But it sounds like after surgery, he's almost there to his required weight. He's young.
Johnson, Dontae (2) - First Year Starter - How has this outside Giant NOT earned a starting spot even with epic competition with Acker & Reaser and even the veteran-privileged Wright.
Hayne, Jarryd (0) - First Year Starter - Dynamic returner who can also be transformed into a receiving back, short yardage back and perhaps, that H-Back who can learn to crack-back block as needed ala the old Delanie Walker-role.
Pinion, Bradley (0) - First Year Starter - This kid has a chance to be special right out of the gate!

Anyone have any concerns about these first/second year starters with us?

PS: You could consider Carradine a rotational inside pass rushing "starter" as well...like Tartt in the Robber-role in the DIME/NICKEL defense.

Major concerns with Martin and Devey as starters. It's not a good sign that an undrafted 2nd year player who was a reserve on another team can come in and immediately be a starter on our offensive line and Martin did not play well last season. Ellington and Patton haven't shown they can be capable #3 WR's, but that's a much smaller concern than having a horrible offensive line. Dial has played pretty well, but he's no Cowboy. I think we'll miss Culliver in our secondary especially now that our front 7 is without Aldon Smith and Justin Smith to bring pressure.

Can't wait for the season to start, but I'm hoping for a top 5 pick to help rebuild.