Taking Stock of San Francisco 49ers Ahead of Week 10 Bye

Stock up: San Francisco 49ers rookie defensive end Arik Armstead.

When the Niners spent a first-round pick on Armstead this year, he seemed like a run-stuffer for the base defense. But that’s not how the Niners have used him.

Armstead plays in the sub-packages, and typically only on passing downs. According to Pro Football Focus, he has been on the field for 119 pass plays and just 33 run plays this season.

Despite his lack of playing time, Armstead has racked up 17 pressures—10th-most among 3-4 defensive ends, per Pro Football Focus.

Armstead is the 49ers' second-best pass-rusher behind outside linebacker Aaron Lynch.

This is the 49ers' stock report heading into the Week 10 bye.

Stock Down: Vance McDonald (TE)

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Memo to 49ers quarterbacks: Don’t pass the ball to tight end Vance McDonald.

Colin Kaepernick apparently didn’t get that memo last week. Kaepernick entered the Atlanta Falcons game for two plays after Blaine Gabbert took a hit to the head, and Kaepernick attempted just one pass—a well-thrown deep throw intended for McDonald.

McDonald dropped the ball, as he tends to do. Since entering the league in 2013, McDonald has dropped six passes and caught just 19, according to Pro Football Focus. McDonald has never scored a touchdown.

The Niners drafted McDonald eight spots ahead of tight end Travis Kelce, who didn’t play as a rookie in 2013, but has made 107 catches and scored eight touchdowns for the Kansas City Chiefs since 2014.

Too bad the Niners didn’t get that guy.

Stock Up: Andrew Tiller (OG)

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

The 49ers’ best offensive linemen during the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus, was guard Andrew Tiller, who earned a grade of plus-7.6—second-best on the entire team.

For some reason, the 49ers didn’t give Tiller a starting job. Instead, they traded for Jordan Devey and made him the starter at right guard. Devey is not good. Through 397 snaps this season, Devey has earned a grade of minus-15.6 from Pro Football Focus.

Devey and Tiller began sharing time at right guard during Week 5, and then Tiller began getting the bulk of the snaps Week 9. He should have gotten all the snaps all along. He is the fifth-highest graded player on the offense despite playing just 173 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

Stock Down: Eric Reid (FS)

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

What happened to free safety Eric Reid?

He seems tentative, he misses tackles and he hasn’t intercepted a pass in 10 games dating back to last season. This is the same guy who intercepted four passes and went to the Pro Bowl as a 21-year-old rookie.

What happened?

Reid seems like the weakest link in the Niners secondary. The cornerbacks are solid, and rookie Jaquiski Tartt is already the Niners’ best safety. Tartt plays with zero fear; he’s vicious.

The 49ers should give former first-round pick Jimmie Ward a chance to play free safety if Reid doesn’t start making plays.

Stock Up: Blaine Gabbert (QB)

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Blaine Gabbert faced the 10th-ranked Atlanta Falcons defense on Sunday, a defense that features shutdown cornerback Desmond Trufant and super-talented rookie pass-rusher Vic Beasley.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Falcons pressured Gabbert on 50.0 percent of his dropbacks—an extremely high percentage. Colin Kaepernick had been getting pressured on 39.5 percent of his dropbacks, for comparison.

Amazingly, Gabbert didn’t take one sack. He avoided them and scrambled for first downs or bought time so he could throw on the run. Some of his best throws came on the run.

Sometimes, he didn’t run at all. Sometimes, he passed before the pressure got to him. And sometimes, he passed even though he knew he was going to take a shot.

Good for Gabbert.

Stock Down: Jerome Simpson (WR)

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

This offseason, the 49ers signed 29-year-old wide receiver Jerome Simpson to a two-year, $1.73 million contract, even though he had been suspended before and almost certainly would be suspended to start the season.

During training camp, the NFL officially suspended Simpson for the first six games. The Niners stuck by him.

Since returning to the team, Niners quarterbacks have targeted Simpson 13 times in two games, according to Pro Football Focus. Simpson caught just three of those 13 passes, although he tipped one into the hands of a defensive back. So, at least someone caught the ball.

Simpson seems like a waste of time and money. He should retire, and the Niners should give his playing time to young receivers like Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington.