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Ross Dwelley has worn a ton of hats for the 49ers this season. Most recently he took on the role of the No. 1 tight end with George Kittle out. He turned his new job into a pair of touchdown catches and a crucial third-down grab to extend the game-winning drive in the 49ers’ 36-26 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Prior to that, he served as the fullback while Kyle Juszczyk was hurt, and before that he was primarily a blocking tight end who was playing fewer than half the snaps each game.
His wide-ranging skill set and ever-changing job description earned him high praise from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during his Monday press conference.
“I mean, we respect the heck out of him, I said he was the best football player on our team yesterday, so I don’t mind messing with his average,” Shanahan told reporters when asked about Dwelley’s 3.5 yards per catch vs. Arizona. “He also had a 14-yarder called back, so that’s where he got messed up, or it was 10 yards, I’m not sure, but it’s better to keep his average down just so we keep him humbled. We don’t want him to get carried away.”
Shanahan was speaking in jest about the second-year tight end, but what Dwelley’s been able to do this season as a former undrafted free agent from the University of San Diego is very impressive. He played a combined 194 snaps the first eight games combined.
With Kittle nursing ankle and knee injuries and out for Weeks 10 and 11, Dwelley saw his snap count increase to 145 in those games. He’s been a different kind of Swiss Army knife for the 49ers’ offense, and having players like him is invaluable in a scheme that thrives on deception.
It’s hard to quantify the ‘best football player’ on the 49ers, but Dwelley’s ability to adapt to different roles on the fly certainly earns him a spot in the conversation.