San Francisco 49ers: 5 Bold Predictions for Year One of the Jim Harbaugh Era

And so it has begun.

When 49ers training camp officially opened up on July 29, the old Mike Singletary era of 49er football was pushed to the side and allowed a new one to emerge, the Jim Harbaugh era.

Whether it is from the players or the coaches, there have been nothing but good reports from camp so far.

Jonathan Goodwin, the recently acquired offensive lineman, has been impressed with how camp has been run so far and is loving the upbeat practices and the motivated atmosphere.

One coaching aspect where Harbaugh differentiates himself from Singletary is his hands-on approach, which the players appreciate and admire.

Players under the Singletary regime played "tight" and "scared," which definitely made it hard for them to win when they couldn't follow their leader.

Now, with the players following the "one with the players" mentality that Harbaugh possesses, things look bright for the 49ers, who already have a roster full of playmakers at a myriad of positions.

Here are five bold predictions for the 49ers in the 2011 campaign.

1) Vernon Davis Will Be First 49er Receiver with 1,000 Yards Since 2003

There is no denying the potential that Vernon Davis possesses, and we have already seen what he is capable of after he snatched 78 receptions for 965 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns in 2009.

Davis has the size and athleticism to be considered the best tight end in the NFL but has failed to achieve that title in his five-year career due to inconsistent quarterback play and the improper utilization of his skill set.

One crucial element in Harbaugh's offensive scheme is the use of the tight end. Not only will this benefit Vernon Davis, but expect a big year from the backup tight end Delanie Walker as well.

The 49ers haven't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Terrell Owens in 2003; expect that to change in 2011.

2) Frank Gore Will Return to His 2006 Form

Frank Gore is one of the best 49er draft selections in the last decade considering they picked arguably the best running back in franchise history in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft.

Gore burst into the national spotlight in 2006 when he rushed for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns.

Minor injuries, the accumulated wear and tear of an NFL running back and the fact that defenses began to stack the box against the 49ers offense prevented Gore from being able to emulate his 2006 numbers.

Singletary's offensive attack was much more run-heavy than Harbaugh's scheme, which many believe is why Gore sustained so many injuries.

However, Harbaugh is dedicated to establishing the run game to set up an effective passing attack. If this is the case, teams won't be able to stack the box and will be forced to respect the passing game—which in turn will open up a lot of running room for Gore and the other backs.

3) Colin Kaepernick Will Replace Alex Smith as the Starting QB by Week 8

I have generally been an Alex Smith supporter for the past five seasons, and that is mostly because the 49ers failed to provide a supporting cast decent enough to help him become a winning quarterback in the NFL.

Smith has had a different offensive coordinator every season in his career and has lacked the necessary targets needed to become a good quarterback.

Some believe that 2011 will finally be the year that Smith will succeed. With Harbaugh acting as his quarterback mentor, Michael Crabtree, Braylon Edwards and Vernon Davis to throw to and an offensive line that looks as good as it ever has in recent memory, this could be entirely true.

However, I believe that Alex Smith will be benched by Week 8 of the season in favor of Colin Kaepernick. With a full training camp and six regular season games to watch from the sidelines, I believe Kaepernick will be ready to take the reins as the 49ers starting quarterback.

4) 49ers Linebackers Will Bring Back the Hardware

Patrick Willis: Defensive Player of the Year Award

Aldon Smith: Defensive Rookie of the Year Award

While these predictions might be the boldest of the list, I don't think they are that outrageous.

Patrick Willis has been the best middle linebacker in the NFL since he emerged on the scene in 2007 (yes, even better than Ray Lewis).

With new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio now running things, Willis should expect to be blitzing a little more often than he might be used to. If Willis can achieve his normal 130-plus tackles while accumulating 10-plus sacks, I think this will be the year that Willis finally gets the recognition he deserves.

Fangio's blitz-happy scheme will also greatly benefit the play of Aldon Smith, who was drafted to do just that.

There have been nothing but great reports out of camp on Smith, who is known to possess a menacing arm club move when pass rushing. This move might might earn him the nickname "Bam Bam" if he is able to use it effectively in real games.

5) 49ers Will Win the NFL West

Yes, 49er faithful, I believe that 2011 will finally be the season we make the playoffs, which has been seemingly promised to us since the 2002 season.

All the cards seem to be in place: the weak division, the talented roster and the expectations of being the front-runner to win the division finally off the 49ers' backs.

Here are my predictions for the final standings in the NFC West:

1. San Francisco 49ers (9-7)

2. St. Louis Rams (8-8)

3. Seattle Seahawks (6-10)

4. Arizona Cardinals (4-12)