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San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who must step up in 2020

The San Francisco 49ers head into the 2020 season ripe with something that isn’t always the case for NFL teams: continuity.

The team looks to return most of its starters on offense from the way it ended 2019, with only left tackle Joe Staley, right guard Mike Person and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders needing to be replaced. On defense, the turnover is even less, with defensive tackle DeForest Buckner being the only player who’ll start 2020 elsewhere after the Niners’ blockbuster trade with the Indianapolis Colts earlier this offseason.

This, of course, doesn’t mean that the team will only be receiving contributions from those 22 players who make up each unit’s starters (not to mention kicker Robbie Gould and punter Mitch Wishnowsky), but it does help to pinpoint players who will be asked to do a lot.