Entirely-Too-Early Breakout Candidate #2

Is my second breakout candidate a beneficiary of some Tennessee Vols bias? I can neither confirm nor deny.  

"The Dawg" himself is my second breakout candidate heading into 2022. This might seem like an odd selection based on the dudes surrounding him, and breakout may not be the perfect term, but I like Jauan Jennings as a potential darkhorse leading into this season. Let's get into why he will exceed expectations in 2022 and surprise fantasy managers.

Jauan Jennings broke onto the scene last year after being waived and following up a stint on the practice squad. When given the opportunity, he made sure to make the most of it. The former 7th round pick worked his way into the fold throughout the season in 2021 and finished strong. So strong, in fact, that the 49ers took notice, waiting until the 3rd round of the draft to take help at WR, seemingly comfortable with Jennings moving forward. 

Deebo Samuel is the obvious multi-tool of the Shanahan offense, a certified freak. Brandon Aiyuk is another promising young wideout but can suffer from inconsistency at times. George Kittle is unquestionably one of the league's elite tight ends, rightfully taking up targets. There are most certainly a crowd of talented mouths to feed in San Fran, but Jauan is nothing if not steadfast in his approach. Jennings has earned praise from teammates and coaches alike for his hard-nosed style of play and his effort on every play since he got his chance last season with Fred Warner going as far as to say he is "one of the best players" on the 49ers. 

Fast forward to this year and we have Trey Lance, who I see as a certified powder-keg looking to make the jump to superstardom. All reports are that Jennings and Lance are building trust and working well together in camp. Another draw to Jauan from a fantasy standpoint is his affinity to get open in the red zone (5 TDs on 24 receptions last season). He's a big, physical target  With that said, he should expand his role and become more involved overall heading into his first full season as a starter. Jauan Jennings currently resides at an ADP of 331 overall and is outside of the top-100 WR's. I see Jennings gobbling up catches and grinding out YAC finishing well inside of those projections in an offense that should explode with Trey Lance getting the green light. 

Jennings is definitely in a crowded wide receiver room loaded with top tier players, but the 49ers have made it clear that they love him and he should settle in nicely for high snap counts and reliable targets.