49ers' Chris Culliver primed to take starting gig from Tarell Brown

The San Francisco 49ers Chris Culliver has been climbing the team's depth chart of late and is poised to take over as the team's starting cornerback, should Tarell Brown or Carlos Rogers ever be sidelined.

Culliver ascended to the 49ers No. 3 cornerback position after injuries to Shawntae Spencer and Tramaine Brock opened up the position, and he has remained in that spot as a result of hard work and excellent performance on the field. Against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday, Culliver was on the field for 70-percent of the team's snaps and did not allow a catch. The second-year pro has posted a completion percentage of 42.9, which is the best mark in the NFL.

Brown, one of the the team's starting cornerbacks, has been dealing with an injured hamstring that held him out of last Wednesday's practice. He returned to the practice field on Thursday and was able to play on Sunday, but if his hamstring were to flare up again, Culliver is waiting in the wings, ready and able to fill the starting spot.