Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
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| Greg Trott/Getty Images | |
| Despite the buzz around Josh Morgan, he won't start the season as one of the 49ers' top three receivers. |
Rookie receiver Josh Morgan looks like a potential future starter for the 49ers. The Rams are hoping rookie receivers Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton can help in some capacity this season. But there's a reason coaches talk about receivers needing time to develop into contributors.
Morgan, for all his success this summer, is realistically the fourth or fifth receiver behind Isaac Bruce, Arnaz Battle, Bryant Johnson and possibly Jason Hill. If Avery and Burton play prominent roles for the Rams, that probably reflects the dropoff after Torry Holt as much as what either rookie can realistically offer this season.
NFC West teams have drafted 26 wide receivers since 2002. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin were the only ones to finish their rookie seasons with more than 362 yards receiving. Fitzgerald, Boldin, Johnson, Jason McAddley, LeRon McCoy and Brandon Lloyd were the only ones to finish their rookies seasons with more than 10 receptions.
The 49ers' injury issues at the postion give Morgan an outside chance at a breakout rookie season. He does appear to have the size, athletic ability and approach to succeed. But since 2002, none of the other sixth-round receivers in the division have finished with more than five receptions for 38 yards (Courtney Taylor, Seattle, 2007).
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Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.