49ers news: Marquise Goodwin 'clearly' Jimmy Garoppolo's 'favorite target'

Beyond the revelation of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's talent on the field to lead the San Francisco 49ers to success, the team also saw the emergence of another potential star in 2017 in wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.

During the final stretch of the season, Goodwin firmly asserted himself as the top receiving option for Garoppolo. This has bled over into the offseason and training camp, as Mike Triplett of ESPN pointed out that Goodwin only continues to build his case to be the 49ers' No.1 target in the passing game.

Last but not least, receiver Marquise Goodwin has continued to establish himself as the 49ers' top receiver (even though Pierre Garcon is still being drafted four spots ahead of him in ESPN drafts). ESPN 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner said Garcon should still get a lot of targets, especially on third downs. And both receivers might finish with a similar number of receptions. But “Goodwin is clearly Jimmy Garoppolo's favorite target” and should have more touchdowns and more yards per catch.

The 27-year-old appears to finally be breaking through as more than just a speedy deep-ball threat, as he has developed a strong connection with Garoppolo on each level of the field. Goodwin has become his go-to option in tight situations while still being able to stretch the field with his big-play ability.

He is coming off a career-best campaign, posting 56 catches for 962 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns while playing in all 16 regular season games for the first time in his career. The bulk of that production came in the last six games where he recorded more than 70 receiving yards apiece while topping 100 receiving yards twice and making at least six receptions three times over that span.

These next few weeks should provide him more time to fine-tune his bond with Garoppolo that could set up a breakout 2018 campaign.