Another week, another injury update for the San Francisco 49ers. This time, there is a little of some good, and some bad. As reported by Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group, the Niners placed wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on injured reserve on Friday with a calf injury.
San Francisco will also be on their third straight week without Ricky Pearsall, who did not practice Friday and isn’t expected to suit up this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. However, a 49ers rookie is now anticipated to make his NFL debut and bring some reinforcements to that group.
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According to David Lombardi of the SF Standard, San Francisco is expected, in a corresponding move with Valdes-Scantling to IR, to have rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins active for the first time in his professional career to take on the Falcons.
That now makes a wide receiver room up of Kendrick Bourne, Jauan Jennings, Demarcus Robinson, Skyy Moore, and Watkins for presumably Mac Jones to throw to this Sunday. That also finally gives the Niners an opportunity to evaluate one of their two rookie offensive players they selected in the 2025 NFL draft.
San Francisco took Watkins in the fourth round out of the Ole Miss Rebels, and while he impressed through training camp and the preseason, an ankle injury led to him missing the first seven weeks of his NFL career.
With Watkins just returning to practice this week, it’s not likely that he’ll be a star target for Jones or be a game-changer. But it’ll be an important first glimpse at some younger talent, and potentially a big play or two. Otherwise, the options look to center around Bourne and Robinson producing out of the receiver group.
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If it wasn’t for Bourne, Pearsall might feel more essential to getting back. In no way downplaying Pearsall’s impact, Bourne has settled right back into his connection with Jones from their time on the New England Patriots and should be expected to remain one of his top targets.
In fact, Bourne is on track for an insane statistical achievement that no one has done in a Niners uniform since Jerry Rice.
Then there’s the return of George Kittle, whose presence and playmaking abilities can’t be welcomed enough. Kittle should immediately slot in as a dependable option for Jones while rejuvenating San Francisco’s run game.
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Oh, and the leading receiver that is running back Christian McCaffrey. But he hopefully won’t be as one-dimensional with Kittle back in the lineup.
All in all, it’s not huge, game changing news for the 49ers. But with Valdes-Scantling to IR, Watkins can immediately make that loss not be felt.
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