As one of the most stacked teams in the NFL, there aren't going to be a lot of surprises on the San Francisco 49ers' roster. We already know that Colin Kaepernick will put up solid QB1 numbers and may take his game to elite-fantasy status. Frank Gore is now and always has been what we thought.
Vernon Davis' production will increase with more targets, while Anquan Boldin will fill some of the void left by Michael Crabtree's Achilles injury.
All this said, San Francisco does possess a deep roster on both sides of the ball. That helps us find a surprise or two when it comes to fantasy football.
After some thought of going with rookie tight end Vance McDonald, I have decided to focus on LaMichael James and what the talented young running back might bring to the table as one of the players vying for carries and touches behind Gore.
James was a healthy inactive for the majority of his rookie season. Most of this had to do with the wealth of talent San Francisco had at running back ahead of him, not issues with his performance or what 49ers coaches saw in practice. The likes of Gore, Kendall Hunter and Brandon Jacobs were more proven than James.
Once Hunter went down with injury and Jacobs was released, San Francisco had no other choice but to throw the talented James out on the field towards the latter part of his rookie campaign.
James responded.
While a small sample size, James averaged over five yards per touch in four regular seasons games before turning it up a notch in the playoffs. As Gore's primary backup and running an offense that fit his talents, James succeeded in the second season. While only tallying 76 total yards in three games, James scored an important touchdown against Atlanta in the NFC Championship game and averaged nearly six yards per rush during that span.
This fits tightly into what James did during one of the best collegiate careers for a running back in recent history. The youngster averaged nearly seven yards per attempt during a stellar three-year career at Oregon.
James' best attribute is gaining yards in space either between the hashes or on the outside. He excels on sweeps, screens and delays in the backfield.
These are the very same type of runs that James will attempt with San Francisco going towards the read option with Kaepernick at quarterback. This was evidenced by his success in such a short period of time last year with Kaepernick at quarterback.
Another thing to look at here is Kaepernick's ability to threaten the defense on the ground. A backfield that consists of him and James will only make it more difficult for defenses to zero in on the young running back. This will create space to work with and confuse the defense a great deal.
However, it must be noted that Hunter's return to full health may handcuff James a bit here. As of right now, Hunter is still listed as San Francisco's primary backup running back; something that the powers to be in Santa Clara have repeated over and over again.
In terms of production this upcoming season, James is a solid bench option in standard leagues. He's not going to get enough touches to make a performance in your lineup, but he'll definitely come in handy if matchups warrent a change. In addition, if either Gore or Hunter go down; he'll be the next one up.
Solely based on the number of touches I project James to receive in 2013, I project him to be nothing more than a late-round add in regular drafts.
As it relates to dynasty formats, James will be a stud. With Gore likely entering the final stage of his career, San Francisco made the decision to find young talent behind him. Marcus Lattimore along with Hunter and James should form a strong trio moving forward. It just remains to be seen who will get the bulk of those carries.
Projected 2013 Statistics: 75 attempts, 4.7 average, 350 yards, 30 receptions, 250 yards and six total touchdowns