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5 reasons the 49ers will regress in 2020

By Rucker Haringey

The 49ers are a prime candidate for regression in 2020. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The 49ers are a prime candidate for regression in 2020. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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The 49ers are going to really miss Emmanuel Sanders. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

3. They will miss Emmanuel Sanders

The 49ers probably made the right decision letting Emmanuel Sanders leave in free agency, but that doesn’t mean they won’t miss him on the field in 2020. He was arguably the team’s top wide receiver in the 10 games he managed to play in 2019.

The six regular season games he missed served to artificially lower his season statistics. On the surface, replacing 36 catches for 502 yards doesn’t seem like a big concern. Watching Sanders on film shows just how much the 49ers relied on him to stretch the field a season ago.

The team hopes that first-round draft choice Brandon Aiyuk can fill Sanders’ shoes in short order. Relying on a rookie to do that is a big risk. Aiyuk has the athletic profile to succeed in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, but he’ll need some time to adjust to life in the NFL. The 49ers receiving corps may struggle mightily early in the season while Aiyuk is searching for answers.

San Francisco will once again lean heavily on George Kittle and Deebo Samuel to carry their passing game in 2020. They’re both very talented players, but the lack of depth in the team’s receiving corps should be a major concern for the 49ers.