Will Colin Kaepernick return to being a top 10 fantasy quarterback in 2015?
In 2015? No. Somewhere down the line? Maybe. I don't trust Kaepernick to rebound after a sack-filled season marred with poor mechanics and decision-making. He's never topped 21 passing touchdowns or 3,400 passing yards in a season, and has fewer weapons at his disposal now than before. Torrey Smith will help a bit, but Boldin is a year older, Steve Johnson is gone, and I'm still not convinced Vernon Davis can recapture his old form. I'd be happy to see Kap bounce-back into the top 10 at his position in 2015. I just don't see it happening.
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- Marcas Grant NFL Media Fantasy Editor
Not likely in 2015
If I were to shake up my Fantasy Magic 8-Ball, it would likely say "Signs Point To No." Much of it has to do with a 49ers offense that is in flux with a new head coach and offensive coordinator. That might be overcome if the team had top level playmakers at the wide receiver position, but the combination of Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith isn't keeping a lot of defensive coordinators up at night, nor is the duo wowing fantasy managers around the globe. That means you'll need to rely on Kaepernick's running ability to earn points -- a risky proposition indeed, especially for a player who was sacked the second-most times of anyone in the NFL last season. There's no denying Kap's talent, but I'm not banking on him being a QB1 anytime soon.
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- Matt Franciscovich NFL Media Associate Fantasy Editor
A balanced approach is key, but still a longshot
Only 18.84 fantasy points separated Kaepernick (250.66) from the 10th-highest scoring quarterback in fantasy last season, Eli Manning (269.50). If Kaepernick has truly improved his accuracy and pocket presence following his offseason work with former NFL great Kurt Warner, San Francisco's acquisition of deep-ball specialist Torrey Smith and passing-down back Reggie Bush -- combined with Kaepernick's ability to run the ball -- will surely be a boon to his fantasy value.
But regardless of the aformentioned variables, the biggest hindrance to Kaepernick's chance of returning to the top 10 among fantasy quarterbacks is the talent pool around the rest of the NFL. There are just too many other established signal callers in better situations who deserve to be ranked ahead of him. Plus, the NFC West is one of the league's toughest defensive divisions, leaving Kaepernick and his receiving corps with frequent unfavorable fantasy matchups.
