Can the 49ers offense thrive under new offensive coordinator Michael Johnson? Our 49ers Blog Blitzer Eric Melendez might have summed it up best when he observed that the offense has no choice but to get better.

Monday night is often the bane of the fantasy football existence.

Is the finger pointing about to commence in San Francisco? QB Alex Smith noted that the team did not take shots down the field against the Seahawks and also complained about the speed to which the plays are coming in, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

It’s the morning after … nine games were on the NFL preseason slate on Saturday night, so let’s take a bullet-point look on thoughts and observations from around the league.

The Cardinals will give QB Derek Anderson a chance to prove that he should be the team’s signal caller as they travel to Chicago to take on the Bears.

49ers coach Mike Singletary said RB Frank Gore, RB Brian Westbrook and WR Michael Crabtree will all play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Raiders.

A few bullet-point observations on the first half of the Vikings vs. 49ers on Sunday night.

QB Brett Favre has returned to the Vikings. Not that anybody is surprised. Honestly, who did not see this coming? We will all get a chance to see Favre this week when the Vikings take on the 49ers.

Apparently Falcons coach Mike Smith did not run Michael Turner enough in 2008, now he is determined to get Turner involved into the passing game, too.

The San Francisco 49ers got an injury scare when Pro Bowl TE Vernon Davis left Sunday’s game against the Colts with what coach Mike Singletary would later describe as a “knee strain.”

The 49ers are backing their man, QB Alex Smith. FS Dashon Goldson told NFL enthusiasts Thursday — during his NFL.com chat — that Smith has been on top of his game, and the team believes in him.

If Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is on the board in the second half of the first round in fantasy drafts, there’s no reason not to take him.

The fantasy appeal of Alex Smith and Frank Gore has improved as a result of their team’s first-round picks.

You know Donovan McNabb trade rumors have reached a fevered pitched when the celebrity gossip sites are making reports.

The hiring of Mike Martz as the new offensive coordinator in Chicago is great news for the fantasy value of QB Jay Cutler