Eagles vs. SF 49ers: 3 players who should see more snaps in Week 4

No. 3: SF 49ers Wide Receiver Mohamed Sanu

Veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu hasn’t been much of a factor for Kyle Shanahan since being signed as an emergency free-agent addition ahead of Week 2. To date, he has just a single reception for 9 yards on one lone target over that two-game stretch.

Sure, Sanu is still reacclimating himself to Shanahan’s offense and is also coming off offseason shoulder surgery, perhaps limiting his overall capabilities.

Yet if there was a chance for Sanu to make an impact, it’s Week 4 against Philadelphia.

The Eagles are going to miss one of their starting boundary cornerbacks, Avonte Maddox, who is out with an ankle injury. In his stead, it’s likely Philly will shuffle around corners Cre’Von LeBlanc, Nickell Robey-Coleman or Trevor Williams. None of those players are 6-feet tall, meaning the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Sanu automatically has a significant size advantage against nearly anyone the Eagles will field to cover him.

Shanahan used Sanu both as an outside receiver and a slot option back in 2016 with the Atlanta Falcons. And while Sanu isn’t the same kind of player he was during that year, he still provides a mismatch option for San Francisco against a questionable Eagles secondary hurting for depth.

Sanu doesn’t have to get a lot of targets, as his size alone will draw coverage. But that’ll open up opportunities for the Niners’ other pass-catchers, including the next player on this list.