Who Should Emerge as 49ers' No. 3 Wide Receiver in 2015?

The San Francisco 49ers have all but figured out who their starting two wide receivers will be in the upcoming 2015 NFL season. Veterans Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith are almost assured to occupy the Nos. 1 and 2 positions.

But which player will occupy the critical role of No. 3 receiver? 

A number of players are in the mix for this job on San Francisco's depth chart. Would a player such as wide receiver Jerome Simpson be the best fit? Or could the task fall upon the shoulders of a younger wideout such as Quinton Patton or Bruce Ellington? Are there some sleeper candidates who could rapidly ascend the ranks into this role?

Janie McCauley/Associated Press

These are questions that will, ultimately, be determined in training camp and throughout the preseason.

Fortunately, the 49ers do have some options.

It is a position that needed some assistance after a lackluster effort in 2014. Last year, the 49ers receiving game netted a mere 3,063 yards, which was good for 30th in the league. Stevie Johnson, the team's No. 3 receiver from a year ago, posted 435 of those yards.

Johnson is gone now, and the 49ers will need to find an amicable replacement to fill the void.

Jerome Simpson 

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Should San Francisco look to add veteran presence to the No. 3 slot, Simpson might emerge as the favorite choice.

Simpson has 145 receptions for 2,004 yards and eight touchdowns over his six-year career. Seven of those touchdowns have come inside the red zone, which would give the 49ers some much-needed assistance in this area of concern.

The 6'1", 193-pound target has a skill set that emphasizes speed. It's an attribute the 49ers plan on using.

San Francisco receivers coach Ronald Curry noted these traits, via Joe Fann of 49ers.com:

"

That’s Jerome. We mess with him and tell him that he only has one speed and that’s full speed. He can’t even jog slow. He’s a good guy to watch work. It’s good for the young guys to sit back and watch how he works. He brings some athleticism to the team. It will be great to see how he translates from practice to OTAs to minicamp to preseason to the games.

"

Fann also pointed out that Simpson was an OTA standout who made "highlight plays on a near-daily basis."

But Simpson also comes with some significant red flags. Numerous charges in 2014, combined with an injury, forced the Minnesota Vikings to release the talented receiver prior to last season. He missed all of last year before the 49ers signed him during the offseason.

Quinton Patton 

Mathew Sumner/Associated Press

2015 may be the final year of evaluation for third-year pro wideout Quinton Patton.

The fourth-round selection of San Francisco during the 2013 NFL draft has scantly seen the field over his two-year career. Injuries and a general lack of playing time have hindered his production.

To date, Patton has just six receptions on 13 targets for 78 yards over a mere 10 games played.

James Brady of Niners Nation described why Patton's numbers may have been so low:

"

Last season, Patton saw decent action in Week 16 and Week 17, taking part in 76 of 140 snaps in the two games. From what I saw, he looked OK, he just didn't see many targets go his way. I thought his routes looked solid and that he probably had a better game than many gave him credit for in Week 16. Patton was open multiple times, effectively using his body positioning to hold the edge over the defensive back covering him.

The ball never went his way, and that could have a lot to do with a lack of faith in his unproven, untested ability.

"

There could be an element of truth to this. Patton didn't have much of a chance to shine last year given that he was buried behind Boldin, Ellington, Johnson, Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd on the depth chart.

San Francisco has 12 receivers on its roster this year, so the competition won't get any easier.

But Patton appears to have embraced this.

“I’m not going to say it’s my time, but I’m coming,” Patton said, via Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

The true test will be whether Patton can adequately climb the depth chart and prove that he is worthy of being the No. 3 receiver.

Bruce Ellington

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Ellington's role on the 53-man roster is all but guaranteed given his abilities in the return game. 

While not prominently featured on offense in 2014, the second-year pro flashed some brilliance when given the opportunity. Ellington totaled six receptions for 62 yards on 12 targets and recorded two receiving touchdowns in the process.

But will his role increase in 2015?

At 5'9" and 197 pounds, Ellington doesn't exactly have red-zone size and may not be considered a bona fide scoring threat outside of his speed. But small-sized receivers do have their merits.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

For example, Indianapolis Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton (5'10", 183 lbs) has torn up NFC West teams with an average of 16.89 yards per reception—the second highest against any NFL conference.

Could the 49ers use Ellington in a similar manner?

Ryan Sakamoto of NinerFans.com described this further by writing, "If Ellington can prove he can be a threat on digs, quick outs and slants, that should benefit the offense greatly as they try and move the chains."

Hilton has quarterback Andrew Luck throwing to him, who exceeded 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick in quarterback rating last season (96.5 to 86.4). 

But Sakamoto also highlights Kaepernick's work with quarterbacking great Kurt Warner and quarterbacks coach Dennis Gile during the offseason.

Perhaps this will be the element that pushes Ellington over the top.

Dark-Horse Candidates 

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers added only one wideout during the 2015 draft—Georgia Tech's DeAndre Smelter. And a collegiate injury may hinder his playmaking efforts to start the season.

But San Francisco did make some notable acquisitions via undrafted free agency.

Two receivers highlight these selections: Utah's Dres Anderson and Alabama's DeAndrew White.

White totaled 94 receptions for 1,294 yards and 12 touchdowns over four seasons with the Crimson Tide. And he also left an impression on the 49ers coaching staff during OTAs.

Fann wrote:

"

The man who started across from Amari Cooper with the Alabama Crimson Tide left a lasting impression in minicamp, catching back-to-back touchdowns to close the final practice. On the second of the scores, White made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone, tapping both toes inbounds before his momentum carried him out of the field of play.

"

Anderson is another notable under-the-radar possibility. 2013 was his best season for the Utes, as the 6'2", 190-pound target hauled in 53 receptions for 1,002 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Another player worth noting is third-year pro wideout Chuck Jacobs.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Jacobs missed all of 2014 with an ACL tear and has yet to appear in a regular-season game. He does have some likable attributes, most notably his speed, but should he be expected to compete for the 49ers' No. 3 receiver spot?

Not likely.

David Fucillo of Niners Nation suggests that if Jacobs even makes the roster, he'll be a fifth receiver at best and probably be used as a special teams contributor.

Still, players such as Anderson, Jacobs and White could make some notable efforts during training camp. And injuries, underwhelming performances and other factors can always cast influence.

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So who is the best option for San Francisco at No. 3?

Ellington, Patton and Simpson all have their positives and have veteran knowledge—an aspect that puts them ahead of the 49ers' rookie talent.

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Assuming the job goes to one of these three, Simpson appears to be the favorite option. Despite his off-the-field issues and red flags, Simpson's talents should be enough to warrant the strongest of considerations for the third wideout position.

And it's a role that will critically impact the 49ers offense. They needed speed at wide receiver. Guys such as Simpson provide that.

Fucillo wrote, "The 49ers brought in Torrey Smith as a deep threat, but Jerome Simpson brings serious skills when it comes to getting down the field."

Simpson can help stretch the field, which should open up further opportunities for older veterans such as Boldin and tight end Vernon Davis to make plays underneath. This attack creates a dynamic the 49ers have not enjoyed much in recent seasons.

As a result, don't be surprised to see Simpson grace the field when the 49ers go three wide.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.

Peter Panacy is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers.

Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.