Josh Morgan: Sleeper Alert!
Who is Josh Morgan? We fantasy football insiders are sure by the end of the 2009 season everyone will know.
Josh Morgan was a standout in the 49'ers camp in his rookie year, allowing him some playing time behind the veterans Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill and Bryant Johnson (who darted out of town after another brutal season in the NFL), and posted moderate totals for a rookie - 20 receptions, 319 yards and 3 TD's. If not for a setback in the season due to an injury he suffered last year, we would already be calling him the true number 1 WR in San Francisco already.
All off-season this kid has been impressing everyone in the 49'ers coaching staff with his ability to play all three receiver positions and make spectacular grabs down the sidelines or over the middle with his athletic ability.
There is one catch though, the 49'ers drafted a super-athletic WR in Michael Crabtree in the 09 draft, who was brought in to add a new dimension to an offense that was less than stellar at the WR position (due to age and poor QB play). Even with Crabtree in the fold many still see Morgan becoming the 49'ers go to guy.
49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye praised Josh Morgan's versatility, explosion, and leaping ability saying, "He’s an explosive guy, a great leaper. His range, because of his arms, his circumference range is very good," Raye said, adding that Morgan can play "all three receiver positions." There has also been comparisons to that of Marques Colston ( New Orleans Saints WR), coming from the 49'ers camp. If so, then everyone in the fantasy football world will all be trying to lock this kid up in the final stages of our drafts this summer, or kicking ourselves later if not.
If you take a good look at the way Mike Singletary likes to run his team, you will find he does not favor any one person on the team, whether it be a 1'st round pick (Vernon Davis ring a bell?) or a 6'th round pick. Last year Mike Singletary pretty much made Vernon Davis feel like a kid who just lost his first t-ball game, and reported this off-season that he almost made Crabtree cry for running sprints while he was supposed to be healing a foot injury.
These are some of the reasons I like Morgans chances to produce in his second year with the 49'ers, and produce fantasy owners with some in-expensive late round production for your fantasy football teams.
There has also been a lot of talks about a holdout in Crabtree's contract negotiating. If that's the case, then Mike Singletary should employ Josh Morgan on a regular basis. Feel free to grab this kid in your drafts, and hope he is worth all the hype.
