Head coach Mike Singletary has mentioned more than a few times that he would rather have one of his players be considered the "face of the franchise" instead of him. While team insiders don't see that happening any time soon — with Singletary making his dynamic presence felt more than ever — by far the top candidate among Niners players as the marquee attraction is third-year "Mike" LB Patrick Willis. There had been some concern about the 2007 first-round draft pick after he suffered an ankle injury in a "nutcracker" drill the first day of training camp. "But he really excelled in Week One (with a team-leading 13 tackles and a key early interception more than 20 yards downfield)," one daily team observer said. "His excellent speed and all-around ability against both the run and pass is what sets him apart. And nobody is a better tackler." Willis had five tackles and a pass defensed in Week Two.

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