Bell can be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues until he earns a Fantasy-relevant role. The rookie has more appeal in Dynasty leagues, where he's worth a pick after Round 4 of rookie-only drafts. Bell was the clear alpha No. 1 for Michigan last year, with 27 more catches than any other player and 390 more receiving yards. His most impressive season was in 2019 when he led the Wolverines in receiving playing with future NFL WRs Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones. As an older prospect, he won't last more than a year or two on Dynasty rosters if he doesn't quickly earn Kyle Shanahan's favor.
Bell played seven of the 49ers' 59 snaps on offense and wasn't targeted in Sunday's 42-19 win over the Eagles.
Since recording two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown in a Week 3 win over the Giants, Bell has seen his playing time and role in the passing game steadily taper off. He's received double-digit snaps in just two of his last nine appearances and has just two receptions for 27 yards on three targets during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ronnie Bell: No catches Sunday
Rotowire
Bell failed to catch his lone target in Sunday's 42-10 win over the Cowboys.
Jauan Jennings (shin) returned from his one-game absence against the Cowboys to bring the 49ers' receiver room back to full strength, effectively pushing Bell into a special teams role. Eleven of the rookie's 14 offensive snaps came in garbage time of the blowout victory, with Bell's lone target coming much earlier in the game when he dropped a catchable ball from Brock Purdy that would have dug the offense out of a second-and-long hole. Bell made up for his gaff on special teams two plays later by fielding Mitch Wishnowsky's punt within five yards of Dallas' end zone to pin the opposition deep in its own territory. The Michigan product will likely need another crooked score to reach double-digit snaps on offense against Cleveland on Sunday.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ronnie Bell: Used sparingly Sunday
Rotowire
Bell caught his lone target for seven yards in Sunday's 35-16 win over the Cardinals.
The 49ers were without one of their top three receivers for the second consecutive week, which afforded Bell nine snaps on offense (16 percent) Sunday. The rookie was unable to repeat last week's trip to the end zone, resulting in a quiet receiving day from the Michigan product. Jauan Jennings' shin injury doesn't appear to be serious, so Bell's playing time may vanish as soon as Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ronnie Bell: Scores first TD of career
Rotowire
Bell caught both of his targets for 24 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 30-12 win over the Giants.
Ray-Ray McCloud got the start in place of Brandon Aiyuk (shoulder), but it was Bell who wound up being the primary beneficiary with a short red-zone score in the second quarter of Thursday's win. The seventh-round rookie wound up seeing 31 snaps on offense (37 percent), finishing in a tie with Jauan Jennings for the third-most amongst San Francisco wideouts. Bell was limited to two targets in a committee approach to replace Aiyuk's production, so fantasy managers shouldn't overreact to the rookie's first touchdown. There is also the possibility that Aiyuk returns in Week 4 -- with nine days between an Oct. 1 matchup against Arizona -- which would push Bell back into a reserve role.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ronnie Bell: Injuries improve roster bid
Rotowire
Bell could start the season as high as fourth on the wide receiver depth chart after multiple San Francisco wideouts suffered injuries this preseason.
Ray-Ray McCloud -- San Francisco's fourth receiver and return specialist -- will miss the first two months of the regular season after injuring his wrist in the 49ers' second preseason game. Danny Gray (shoulder) and Chris Conley (shoulder) popped up on the injury report after the team's final preseason tilt, leaving Bell as the healthiest option to potentially fill in for McCloud this year. The seventh-round pick ripped off a couple of big gains in exhibition play, but he also fumbled twice (one lost) in limited action. Bell may be forced into a bigger role than expected, but he won't see much action on offense with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings all ready for Week 1.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ronnie Bell: Gets start with regulars resting
Rotowire
Bell finished with three receptions (six targets) for 58 yards in Sunday's preseason opener against Las Vegas.
San Francisco rested its top four wideouts in this first preseason game, as those spots/roles on the depth chart are set in stone barring injury. This gave the Bell the opportunity to start alongside veteran Chris Conley (3-47-0), who also is competing for one of the final WR spots ahead of Week 1. The rookie seventh-round pick responded to the opportunity and led the 49ers in receiving Sunday. While it was a nice exhibition debut for Bell, he doesn't carry much fantasy value heading into the 2023 season.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Ronnie Bell: Heads west
Rotowire
The 49ers selected Bell in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 253rd overall.
Bell has an impressive resume after playing five years at Michigan, particularly for falling so late in the draft. However, he lacks speed and burst, so there is significant concern that he won't be able to separate from coverage as a pro. The 49ers receiving corps isn't overly impressive after Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, so Bell could have a shot to make the roster as a depth piece.
