49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has taken the time to praise his quarterback, Alex Smith, as an elite player in the NFL. "He's every bit the elite quarterback as there is playing in the game right now," Harbaugh said. Through eight games, Smith has been quite efficient for San Francisco. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has thrown for 1,467 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions. His passer rating of 98.7 is good for sixth in the league. "I appreciate all the talent that he has and what he brings to our team," said Harbaugh. "There's evidence however you want to pick his performance apart. He's playing at a very high level."