The dot-connecting football community figured out pretty early on that Pierre Garcon would wind up with one of his former offensive coordinators.
Turns out it came down to the one who helped him land some career-highs. And could offer the most moolah.
Garcon will reunite with former Redskins playcaller Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, according to ESPN. The two worked together in 2012 and 2013, with the latter season producing career-highs for Garcon in targets (181), catches (113) and yards (1,346). It was his first full season staying healthy in Washington and his last with Shanahan.
It was also his first of four straight years with over 100 targets and 65-plus receptions. Those catches are the absolute pillar of Garcon’s game and should continue to be with the Niners.
But for all of his volume, Garcon typically disappoints when it comes to yardage and scoring. That awesome 2013 season saw him score just five times -- and he’s never had more than six touchdowns in a season, not even when he played with Peyton Manning. And while he had five 100-yard games in 2013, he’s had two in the three seasons since.
Garcon’s going to play on an offense that will to throw a lot, particularly because the 49ers defense figures to be a liability. That should mean the targets will keep flowing toward Garcon, but it’s dependent on who else Shanahan adds to the offense. By the time training camp rolls around, Garcon could be in a complementary role similar to how Shanahan used Mohamed Sanu in Atlanta.
It also matters who’s throwing to Garcon. If it’s a polished passer, perhaps someone he’s played with before, then Garcon should be fine. If it’s a rookie or a weaker quarterback then Garcon might not hit the 65 percent catch rate he averaged in his last four seasons. Just have to wait and see.
Garcon will be more popular in PPR formats, where he has No. 2 receiver potential with a No. 3 receiver price tag. Round 8 is actually a good value for him if catches count.
If catches don’t matter, expect him to sag. His 1,000-yard seasons are rare and his high-score campaigns are non-existent. Garcon will fall to the double-digit rounds as a reserve receiver in standard formats.
