49ers Kendrick Bourne has Big Breakout Potential
Emmanuel Sanders? Gone.
Marquise Goodwin? Gone.
Deebo Samuel? Injured, probably for the first month of the season.
Those three wide receivers each started games for the 49ers in 2019. Without them, fourth-year wide out Kendrick Bourne ascends to the top of the depth chart, and becomes a critical player in 2020.
Last season, Bourne was the fifth option in the 49ers offense after George Kittle, Sanders, Samuel and Raheem Mostert. And even though Bourne caught just 30 passes, he still scored 5 touchdowns -- a terrific ratio. He is the 49ers' go-to weapon in the red zone. That won't change next season. He should lead the 49ers in touchdown catches in 2020 just as he did in 2019.
But Bourne also should lead all wide receivers in targets and catches next season. Even though the 49ers traded up in Round 1 to take wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this year. Aiyuk is talented and more athletic than Bourne, but Bourne knows the offense and has experience playing with Jimmy Garoppolo. We don't know how long Garoppolo and Aiyuk will take to build chemistry.
If Samuel misses four games -- entirely possible -- the 49ers will have to target Bourne frequently. Garoppolo can't just throw all his passes to Kittle.
And if Bourne catches more passes in 2020, he also should score more touchdowns. So he could finish next season with 10 TD catches -- no exaggeration.
If you play fantasy football, you should draft Bourne.
If you don't play fantasy football, keep an eye on him anyway. He could be the 49ers' breakout star of 2020.
