Fantasy Football 2014 Player Profile: Michael Crabtree

2013 Stats: 19 REC 284 YDS 1 TD (five games)

In 2013 Crabtree was coming off of a torn achilles tendon and was eager to return. He may have even came back too soon and was noticeably not at 100 percent in his first few games and was eased back in by the 49ers coaching staff. In those five games he never had double-digit targets but did have one 100-plus yard game.

In the first game of the playoffs, Crabtree was targeted 13 times. He finished with 8 receptions for 125 yards and showed great chemistry with quarterback Colin Kaepernick. This type of game is what should be expected more often than not from the healthy 49ers top receiver this season.

"Even the end of last season he wasn’t 100 percent and he was making plays for us," Kaepernick said of Crabtree. "I’m excited to see what he’s going to do now that he’s 100 percent.”

Kaepernick and Crabtree have had a full offseason to continue to build that chemistry and according to multiple reports, that is exactly what they have done.

Opinion: I have been saying this since our Top 200 Big Board that this is the year to own Crabtree. This is the first full season where he has a receiver opposite of him that the defense has to pay attention to and some would argue two other receivers that command attention. Those receivers are veterans Anquan Boldin and Stevie Johnson who will help open up the field for Crabtree. Add Vernon Davis to the mix and defenses will be deploying single coverage on Crabtree more than they would like to.

Crabtree had his first 1,000-plus yard season two seasons ago and will undoubtedly eclipse that mark once again this year. He is currently being drafted toward the end of round 5 in both standard and PPR league. At this point you are either looking for your WR2 or WR3 depending on how you drafted and Crabtree is a very, very strong pick at this range. He is going behind Cordaralle Patterson, Larry Fitzgerald and Percy Harvin, all guys that I would pick after Crabtree this season.

Projections: 86 REC 1,373 YDS 9 TD