The 49ers had to be smiling when the Raiders took Darius Heyward-Bey, not Michael Crabtree, with the seventh pick.

The Texas Tech product was hailed as the top wideout in the draft, and he’ll now have a chance to start as a rookie under coach Mike Singletary.

Compared to Anquan Boldin by GM Scot McCloughan, Crabtree will compete with Josh Morgan and Brandon Jones for the top two spots on the depth chart.

The Niners will be a run-first team under new coordinator Jimmy Raye, however, so fantasy owners need to temper their expectations for Crabtree in 2009. Still, he’ll be worth a middle- to late-round pick in seasonal fantasy drafts.

Crabtree’s presence also makes Isaac Bruce even less of an option.

Posted in: Fantasy  |