Fantasy Reaction: Trey Lance Expected to Start for 49ers in 2022 (Fantasy Football)

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently spoke about the 49ers QB situation between Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. In regards to Lance, Fowler states “I’m told that he’s got indications, at least informal indications from the team, that he’ll be the guy next year. He’s set to be that. Now, whether that means that they would still keep Garoppolo and that could change the dynamic, possibly. But right now, Lance is going to be the starter.”

The 49ers still currently have both QBs on the roster, as the market has been slow to come around on Jimmy G after he underwent shoulder surgery following the 2021 season. However, there’s still a possibility Garoppolo is traded once teams are able to determine his shoulder is healthy enough to remain a starter in 2022 and potentially, beyond. One possible destination for Garoppolo should the 49ers choose to move on is the Carolina Panthers, who are one of few teams who still have a QB need and have the salary cap space to take on Jimmy G’s $27 million cap hit in 2022. Per Spotrac, the Carolina Panthers lead the NFL in available cap space in 2022.

As for the 49ers and Trey Lance, this is obviously good news for his dynasty and fantasy football value. The 49ers traded up in the 2021 NFL Draft to select Lance with the 3rd overall pick, suggesting he’s their QB of the future. While the sample size was small from a year ago, Lance certainly struggled as a passer in his two starts as a rookie. He only completed 51% of his passes for a combined 349 yards and a 2:1 TD-to-INT ratio. However, Lance showed why he has top 10 fantasy upside with his rushing ability. In those two starts last year, Lance logged 7 and 16 rushing attempts for a combined 130 rushing yards. On a 17-game pace, that sort of production would equate to over 1,100 yards on the ground. While it’s difficult to project such a small sample, it at least speaks to Lance’s high end range of outcomes. With the rushing upside and star play makers at his disposal in Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, Lance looks poised to have a breakout campaign in 2022, assuming he gets the starting nod.