Former 49ers standouts from Week 2 of the AAF

Taking a look at former 49ers and other players who stood out in Week 2 of the Alliance of American Football.

The Alliance of American Football wrapped up Week 2 of their inaugural season on Sunday. Several former 49ers players and coaches stood out throughout the weekend, as well as handful of other players whose performances could put them on the radar of NFL teams. We’ll be dropping in on the AAF on a weekly basis to see who’s making an impact in the new league.

Former 49ers

Ja’Quan Gardner, RB, San Diego Fleet

The 49ers signed Gardner in 2018 before the team’s final preseason game, but he fell victim to final roster cuts just a few days later. The undrafted free agent out of Humboldt State didn’t get another shot with an NFL team and made his AAF debut on the Fleet. After 55 yards on eight carries in Week 1, Gardner (5-7, 205) followed that up with 16 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. He was the second running back in AAF history to hit the 100-yard mark.

Keith Reaser, CB, Orlando Apollos

Reaser was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Florida Atlantic cornerback was among former general manager Trent Baalke’s infamous picks of players recovering from a torn ACL. Reaser saw limited playing time in his three years with the 49ers and was cut in September of 2017. He spent the rest of the season on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad before being released in September of 2018. In two weeks, Reaser (5-10, 190) has established himself as an impact player for the Apollos, totaling seven tackles and five pass breakups. Reaser’s interception on Sunday against the San Antonio Commanders was returned for a touchdown and gave the Apollos the lead in the fourth quarter.

Mike Singletary, Memphis Express

Former 49ers head coach Mike Singletary retuned to the coaching ranks with the AAF to lead the Memphis Express. He was shut out in his debut, falling 28-0 to the Birmingham Iron in Week 1. The Express got out to a strong start in Week 2 against the Arizona Hotshots, with a 12-0 lead in the second quarter. Unfortunately, Singletary’s squad wasn’t able to maintain and was outscored 20-6 in the second half. The Express fell 20-18 and are are now one of three winless teams in the AAF.

Other standouts

Charles Johnson, WR, Orlando Apollos

The former seventh-round pick for the Green Bay Packers has established himself as one of the AAF’s top receivers through two weeks. After 60 yards receiving in Orlando’s Week 1 debut, Johnson (6-2, 215) caught seven passes on 10 targets for a whopping 192 yards and a touchdown in a shootout against the Commanders.

Zac Stacy, RB, Memphis Express

The former Los Angeles Rams standout became the first AAF running back to eclipse 100 yards on Saturday. Stacy (5-9, 225) rattled off 16 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Express on Saturday. He’s averaging 5.1 yards per carry through the first two weeks of the season.

Ed Reynolds, S, Atlanta Legends

Reynolds was drafted in the fifth-round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. After spending two seasons on the Eagles on one with the Cleveland Browns, the former Stanford safety was out of the NFL for two years before joining the AAF. Reynolds (6-2, 205) was active for the Legends on Sunday, totaling six tackles, one tackle for a loss, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a sack.

Karter Schult, DE, Salt Lake Stallions

The Northern Iowa standout defensive lineman never got a real shot in the NFL, spending a preseason with the Cleveland Browns in 2017 and short stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2018. Schult (6-2, 240) has made an impact so far in the AAF, totaling 11 tackles, three sacks, six quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and a forced fumble through two games.

Current standings

East Division
1. Birmingham Iron (2-0)
2. Orlando Apollos (2-0)
3. Atlanta Legends (0-2)
4. Memphis Express (0-2)

West Division
1. Arizona Hotshots (2-0)
2. San Antonio Commanders (1-1)
3. San Diego Fleet (1-1)
4. Salt Lake City Stallions (0-2)

Stats leaders

Passing yards
1. Garrett Gilbert — 620 yards
2. Logan Woodside — 478 yards
3. John Wolford — 469 yards

Rushing yards
1. Zac Stacy — 159 yards
2. Ja’Quan Gardner — 159 yards
3. Jhurrell Pressley — 121 yards

Receiving yards
1. Charles Johnson — 252 yards
2. Rashad Ross — 170 yards
3. Quinton Patton — 151 yards

Tackles
1. DeMarquis Gates — 16
2. Tyson Graham, Jr. — 14
3. Steven Johnson — 13

Sacks
1. Karter Schult — 3
2. Shaan Washington — 3
3. Winston Craig — 2.5

Interceptions
1. Terence Garvin — 2
2. Ryan Moeller — 2
t3. Keith Reaser — 1

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