The Facts: Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd will hit free agency next month and it seems unlikely either will be back. Crabtree clearly was frustrated with his role at the end of season, and he recently removed any mention of the 49ers from his Twitter bio. That was interpreted by some as a signal that he'll move on.

Diehards Line:In that scenario, Bee staffer Matt Barrows notes that Anquan Boldin and Stevie Johnson would be the clear starting candidates. Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington would play supporting roles with Ellington likely operating out of the slot -- and perhaps the backfield -- like he did at times in 2014. Ellington is the only receiver with notable speed on the team.