Niners working on Smith's accuracy: Alex Smith will have his first offseason without a change in offensive coordinators, and expectations couldn't be any higher. Smith posted career-best numbers in 2011 with a 61.4 percent completion percentage, 3,144 yards passing and a 90.7 passer rating. He threw 17 touchdown passes and just five interceptions while starting all 16 games. Now the Niners plan to improve Smith's accuracy by fixing mechanical issues with his left leg and balance according to Comcast SportsNet. "I saw a mechanics guru, or specialist down in L.A.," Smith wrote in a chat on the official team website. "I went there to kind of clean some things up with my motion. I'm really focused on getting my fundamentals better. Really didn't have time last offseason to do it." (Updated 05/08/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/27/12).
Fantasy Analysis
We might be on the verge of Smith's best year: The 49ers have added some firepower to their receiving corps with Mario Manningham, rookie A.J. Jenkins and future Hall of Famer Randy Moss joining Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. And Smith himself just helped lead the Niners to the NFC title game while posting those great stats. We think Smith should be drafted late as a backup Fantasy option with potential for him to be useful as at least a matchup-based starter. (Updated 05/08/2012).
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Alex Smith is back with the 49ers after he signed a three-year contract in March. He was serviceable in helping them reach the NFC Championship Game, but he was not a good Fantasy quarterback. Smith passed for just 3,144 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for two touchdowns, but his Fantasy production was minimal with only five games with at least 20 points (he averaged 14.7 points per week in standard-scoring formats). He does have the chance to improve this season since the 49ers added weapons in Mario Manningham, Randy Moss and rookie A.J. Jenkins to go with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, but Smith will have to prove himself first before owners begin to consider him a starter. However, he is worth drafting as a No. 2 Fantasy quarterback with a late-round pick in the majority of leagues; if Moss and Manningham can help put up some big stats, it'll only help Smith. (Updated 5/24/12)
