Michael Crabtree's Instant Fantasy Reaction Heading into 2013 Fantasy Playoffs

Fantasy owners were wondering if Michael Crabtree could play well in his first game back for the 2013 season and he certainly had a solid fantasy performance against the St. Louis Rams.

The San Francisco 49ers pulled off a big 23-13 win.  Crabtree was able to get involved, grabbing two catches for 68 yards, which is good enough for six fantasy points in ESPN's standard scoring leagues.

It's been a long time since Crabtree has seen the field in an actual game but he looked solid in his first game back.  Last season, he caught 85 passes for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns in the regular season while adding another 20 receptions, 285 yards and three scores in the playoffs.

As Crabtree gets more involved in the offense, you can expect him to put up some very nice fantasy numbers.  The 49ers desperately need another option besides Anquan Boldin or Vernon Davis and Crabtree could be the answer.

Given what he did in 2012, Crabtree is certainly worth starting as a flex player, unless you feel very confident in your lineup.  He's still a risky pick, but considering the upside, he's worth the risk for anyone that really needs help in the flex spot.