Michael Crabtree -- I'm the 'FUTURE OF THE NFL'

Michael Crabtree's ego has fully recovered from that huge blown call that cost him the Super Bowl -- because he now boldly predicts ... he is the FUTURE OF THE NFL!

The funniest part is ... we weren't even talking about him when he said it.

Here's the scene: the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver was leaving BOA Steakhouse with Dallas Cowboys stud receiver Dez Bryant last night -- and we asked the young stars about NFL rule changes intended to protect players from head injuries.

Neither guy replied ... so we moved on to another topic.

Now, let's play this like "Jeopardy."

Crabtree's answer is ... "You ever seen the future of the NFL? The 2 hottest receivers in the game?"

So, what is the question?