Vernon Davis is finally putting is all together

After three underwhelming seasons, Vernon Davis is finally playing like one of the most physically gifted tight ends in the league. As the 6th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2006 draft, much was expected of the former Maryland Terrapins standout. His combination of size and speed was thought to be an unstoppable combination, but like most young players he struggled from the beginning. Learning the nuances of the pro game proved elusive and his rookie season amounted to just 20 receptions for 265 yards and 3 TD’s. His second season provided glimpses of growth (52 receptions, 509 yards, 4 TD’s), but still fell short of expectations. Then came a regression in his third season as he finished with only 31 receptions for 358 yards and 2 TD’s.

It would be easy to point the finger at Davis and say it’s entirely his fault and that if he had stronger character or a stronger work ethic that he would have had more success to this point, but I think that’s over-simplifying the issue. Davis has even admitted that he came into the league with a selfish attitude and a lot of brazen arrogance that probably got in the way of success early in his career. BUT he’s also played for some terrible San Francisco 49ers teams, played for four different offensive coordinators in as many years and two separate head coaches. Those aren’t exactly the best circumstances to adapt to the NFL game.

All of this brings us to this season, where Davis is finally putting it all together and finding success on and off the field. With Mike Singletary’s father-like discipline and encouragement, Davis has not only bought in to the team-first mentality, but has also started running better routes and catching TD passes (3 so far). With an offensive game plan designed to take advantage of his tremendous skill set, this could be the year that Davis finally establishes himself as a dynamic offensive weapon. Although just four weeks into the season, I’d say he’s well on his way.

Fantasy Impact: While not yet as consistent as other elite tight ends in the league (i.e. Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Dallas Clark), Davis has shown that he's worth a roster spot in most fantasy leagues. The fact that he's becoming a frequent red zone target of Shaun Hill bodes well for his production moving forward. With points coming from the TE position being unpredictable at best, taking a chance on a guy like Davis makes too much sense to ignore.