Back in November of 2012, the sporting world was shocked when Alex Smith was benched for a backwards hat wearing, tattoo covered, relatively unknown gunslinger out of the University of Nevada. At first there was just one in this Wolfpack, but soon enough Colin Rand Kaepernick became the face of a franchise and pop culture symbol.
Fast forward two seasons and there is trouble in paradise, Colin Kaepernick’s 49ers have lost in the conference finals or Super Bowl in consecutive seasons, and now Kaepernick is being questioned as a leader of his team. Despite starting 29 games over the course of the last two years, it appears Kaepernick’s 937 yards rushing to go along with 5,009 yards passing as a starter are not enough to satisfy the critics of this beleaguered icon.
But real life statistics are not the only quandary facing Kaepernick who is entering his fourth season as a professional. Mobile quarterbacks have not only changed the scope of the NFL, they have infiltrated the ranks of the fantasy elite as well. As quarterbacks are the highest scorers in fantasy football without using their legs; versatile players like Kaepernick, and his counterpart in Seattle Russell Wilson, have tremendous value due to their ability to accrue yards both on the ground and through the air. But is taking one of these talents worth it on your hunt for fantasy glory? Are we buying or selling Kaepernick for the 2014 fantasy football season?
The amalgamation of factors surrounding the potential for Kaepernick’s success in 2014 are boundless, yet his supporting cast seems to be the heaviest consideration in his favor. Vernon Davis, Anquan Boldin, and Michael Crabtree make up one of the most talented crops of pass catcher in the league, and a new offensive focus for the 49eers will not hurt Kaepernick’s stock either.
Going 12-4 in the toughest division in the league, the 2013 49ers scored the 11th most points, but did so on the back of a dominant ground game centering on feature-back Frank Gore. With Gore turning 31 in the offseason and uncertainty surrounding his long-term replacement, the onus is on Kaepernick to lead this potent offense to the realm of the offesnive elite.
With a heavy load on his shoulders but talent around him to surpass any defensive obstacle, Kaepernick will deliver in a big way for his owners this season. The only remaining question is if his value worth it to where the former Wolfpack member will be drafted? Currently being selected on average at 77th overall and as the 12th quarterback, Kaepernick finds himself on the fringe of the realm of fantasy starting status. Comparable players based on average draft position are Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, Washington’s Robert Griffin III, New England’s Tom Brady, Dallas’s Tony Romo, and the aforementioned Wilson.
In 2013, Kaepernick finished ninth in scoring, ahead of all of his contemporaries previously mentioned aside from Wilson who finished eighth. It was not Kaepernick’s point total that worried owners, but his consistency. The 49ers quarterback scored single digit points in four games, and did not eclipse 15 points in four others. Conversely, Kaepernick dropped greater than 20 points in six times including 30 points in Week 1 against the Packers. If boom or bust is your look, it will be hard to find a better candidate than Kaepernick in 2014.
Based on his seventh round average draft position, versatility, supporting cast, tendency to score in bunches, and total point scoring ability, there is no choice but to buy Kapernick for the 2014 fantasy football season.