Friday night will include a historical moment in Michael Crabtree's career. The fourth-year pro will play in his very first preseason game with the San Francisco 49ers.
Between his rookie holdout and constant August injuries, Crabtree has never played in a game that doesn't matter. His presence on the field is a little surprising so soon after he returned from his latest injury, but his fellow starter at wideout is even more surprising.
Jeremiah: Return trips unlikely
How hard is it to make it to the AFC or NFC Championship Game two straight years? Daniel Jeremiah says recent history doesn't bode well for Ravens, Patriots, 49ers, Giants. **More ...**
Ted Ginn will start opposite Crabtree. Randy Moss will come off the bench.
"Ted's had a great camp -- really pleased with Ted," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "He's catching the ball, he's blocking, he's playing all the positions -- the X, the Z, the slot. He's doing it all. He's running good, getting in and out of his cuts."
We're hesitant to read much into preseason depth charts, but it's worth noting another report indicating Moss hasn't seen a lot of action in camp. Harbaugh previously said there was a five-way tie for his No. 1 receiver spot between Crabtree, Moss, Ginn, Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams.
It was a typical press conference day from Harbaugh. After a series of questions about Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree's chemistry, Harbaugh chided the team's reporters.
"A lot of obvious questions," he said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. "A lot of the master-of-the-obvious questions today. They could be really answering themselves up here."
We love Jim Harbaugh.
