Chris Conley

Conley signed with the 49ers to compete for a role as a backup receiver or on special teams. The speedy veteran never broke through as a starter during his time with Kansas City, Jacksonville, Houston and most recently Tennessee (appeared in seven games). With Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Ray-Ray McCloud firmly set as San Francisco's top four receivers, Conley could find himself on the chopping block come roster finalization.

Last season, Conley finished third among Houston wideouts in snaps and fourth in targets, one behind the departed Danny Amendola. The 2015 third-rounder had his targets drop substantially from 2020 to 2021 (63 to 37), well behind the career-high 90 he had in 2019 as Jacksonville's deep threat. Quarterback issues played a role in the reduction, but the Texans also had better receivers (Brandin Cooks) and higher priorities (developing Nico Collins) than Conley. With both Cooks and Collins still rostered, Conley got cut at the end of the preseason and is left looking for a new home.

The Texans clearly have a type this offseason, targeting a slew of veterans who have experience as starters but arguably fit better as backups. Conley averaged 23.4 yards per game in four seasons with the Chiefs, followed by 40.2 yards per game in two seasons with the Jaguars. He'll likely land somewhere between third and fifth on the WR depth chart when the dust settles in Houston this summer.

Conley headed to Jacksonville on a two-year, $4.6 million deal in March 2019, and it was a relatively easy decision for the team to pick up his option for 2020. He led the team's wideouts in offensive snaps and primarily worked as the No. 2 receiver, finishing the year with 47 catches for 775 yards and five touchdowns. D.J. Chark is clearly atop the depth chart, but Conley's 16.5 yards per reception illustrates his role in the offense. His 52-percent catch rate ranked 188th out of 199 pass catchers with at least 30 targets, so he was a significant boom-or-bust option. The addition of second-round pick Laviska Shenault shouldn't threaten Conley directly, and he appears poised to enter 2020 in a similar role. Even a minor improvement to his catch rate could go a long way toward Conley offering more consistent production.

The Chiefs featured the best offense in the NFL last season, but Conley ended up posting the lowest yards per catch (10.4) mark of his career, and mostly served as the team's No. 3 wide receiver. He caught 32-of-52 targets for 334 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, but played a further diminished role in the playoffs. In Jacksonville he figures to be fighting for the same role but in a much less dynamic offense, though the addition of Nick Foles at quarterback certainly represents an upgrade over Blake Bortles. Conley will be battling with D.J. Chark and Keelan Cole, both of whom had underwhelming seasons for the Jaguars in 2018. It's difficult to imagine Conley out-producing himself in 2019 in a weaker offense, but the lack of established options at wide receiver could certainly provide him with the opportunity.

A toolsy player (6-foot-3, 205 pounds, 4.35 40-yard dash) coming out of Georgia in 2015, Conley was considered a project. The Chiefs gave him every opportunity to cash in on his talent, but, after a step in the right direction in 44 catches in 530 yards in 2016, Conley squandered his opportunity to seize a starting role in 2017 by notching just 11 grabs for 175 yards before suffering a season-ending Achilles tear. As a result, Kansas City went headfirst into the free agent pool, signing Sammy Watkins to a three-year, $48 million contract. Conley could still see some snaps behind Watkins and Tyreek Hill, but the top wideout duo, TE Travis Kelce and RB Kareem Hunt should collectively absorb the majority of available targets in 2018.

The Chiefs drafted Conley in the second round in 2015 expecting him to require some seasoning at the top level before breaking out. Unfortunately, his elite measurables (6-3, 4.35 40-yard dash) haven't translated to considerable production. He was given every opportunity to claim the second spot behind Jeremy Maclin last season but produced just 44 catches for 530 yards and did not reach pay dirt. Even though rookie Tyreek Hill emerged as a multipurpose weapon in 2016, the jettisoning of Maclin in early June elevates Conley to a more prominent position in a passing attack that includes high-volume TE Travis Kelce and little else. Perhaps a changing of the guard at QB to the strong-armed Patrick Mahomes in the future could unlock some of Conley's potential, but his fantasy prospects for 2017 are nonetheless looking up.

Conley was considered a project coming out of Georgia in the 2015 NFL Draft, but possesses the raw tools (6-foot-2, 4.35 40 time) to be an impactful receiver at the professional level. His rookie season didn't result in much production (17 catches on 31 targets for 199 yards and a touchdown), but the 23-year-old now has a full season and offseason under his belt. The Chiefs appear impatient in their search for a No. 2 wideout, adding four more receivers in the offseason via free agency and the draft, so 2016 could be put up or shut up time for Conley.

Conley - a third round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Georgia - likely enters camp as one of the few wide receivers taken that late with a legitimate shot of starting immediately. The rookie wideout has favorable measurables at 6-foot-2, 219 pounds and sports a 4.35 second 40-yard dash that remains rare combination. With just Albert Wilson standing between him and a starting spot, a strong training camp could pave the way to the WR2 gig behind offseason addition Jeremy Maclin, following the release of former top receiver Dwayne Bowe. As a senior at Georgia, Conley hauled in 36 passes for 657 yards in 11 games, but will need to fix a few flaws in his game in order to see consistent playing time on Sundays.