© Kim Klement | 2018 Nov 25

As the San Francisco 49ers get set to open their exhibition slate against the Dallas Cowboys, all eyes will be on high profile rookies like Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel, as well as more household names like Nick Mullens and C.J Beathard. But while the Bosa’s and Mullens’ of the world may get most of the headlines, there are a number of under the radar players who’s performance and development could go a long way in helping the team this season, and in the foreseeable future.

Here’s a list of five under the radar players to watch in Week 1 of the preseason:

Richie James

For the first time in recent memory, San Francisco has a deep and skilled depth chart at the receiver position. With so much talent, it seems inevitable that one or two NFL caliber players will end up on the outside looking in, and James could have to steepest hill to climb.

A seventh-round pick in 2018, James did fairly well in limited action as a rookie, catching nine of his 14 targets for 130 yards and a score. He also excelled as a kick returner, averaging 25.2 yards per return with a touchdown.

Because it’s a number’s game, James will have to shine in game action and show that his strong play in practice can carry over. Look for the 49ers to give him every opportunity, as he should see consistent targets in Week 1 and throughout the preseason.

Dre Greenlaw

As of right now, the most open position on the Niners roster could be the SAM linebacker position, and Greenlaw has as good a chance as anyone to claim it. A fifth-round pick out of Arkansas, the rookie saw significant amount of action during OTA’s while Malcolm Smith was sidelined with an injury. With Smith aging and in decline, the team could opt for Greenlaw from the start if he has a strong camp.

Like James, you can expect Greenlaw will see a lot of action as the 49ers try and evaluate what they have in him. If he responds, Greenlaw could be yet another late round pick that ends up having a significant role on Kyle Shanahan’s team.

Tarvarius Moore

After spending his rookie season at cornerback, Moore was moved to free safety this offseason, which was his natural position coming out of college. In fact, during his final season at Mississippi State, Moore played 522 of his 831 defensive snaps either in the box or at free safety. However, Moore only started one full season with the Golden Eagles, so while he’s an intriguing option, he’s also very raw.

What Moore does have going for him is a combination of size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and speed (4.32 40) which make him an intriguing prospect and, truth be told, the 49ers currently have more questions than answers on the backend. Jimmie Ward and Adrian Colbert haven’t shown enough consistency at the position, and it would benefit the team if Moore could push his way into the conversation with a strong preseason.

Kaden Smith

With Garrett Celek on the shelf and looking like his days in San Francisco are numbered, the 49ers desperately need to identify a legitimate backup option to George Kilttle at tight end. Right now the competition appears to be between the rookie Smith, Ross Dwelley and free agent addition Levine Toilolo.

While Toilolo has experience with Shanahan during his time with the Atlanta Falcons and Dwelley served as the 49ers’ third tight end last year, Smith was drafted with the hopes he can step up and take the backup role. In nine games at Stanford in 2018, Smith caught 47 balls for 645 yards, showing himself as a reliable receiver.

It won’t be easy for Smith to hold off his competition, but assuming the 49ers decide to keep Kittle in bubble wrap most of the preseason (as they should) he’ll get plenty of opportunities to show he’s the best option moving forward.

Backup Center

Okay, so this isn’t a specific player, but the truth of the matter is that if Weston Richburg isn’t healthy, the 49ers have a major problem. Richburg remains on the PUP list, and while he’s still hopeful to start the regular season on time, it’s not a given his knee will be 100 percent. Considering how much the interior of the offensive line struggled while Richburg played through an injury last year, the team desperately needs a viable backup option.

Right now, Mike Person is getting first-team reps at camp, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the unit considering Person was supposed to start at guard (the 49ers don’t have many options there either). Ben Garland, who filled in for Richburg at OTAs and played with Shanahan in Atlanta, will also get a serious look and could end up the starter if Richburg doesn’t return. Either way, the 49ers need consistent play at center in Shanahan’s offense, so how this plays out could have a domino effect on the rest of the line.