3 things 49ers must accomplish during 2021 training camp

49ers To-Do Item No. 3: Crown the tertiary wide receiver

Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are the de facto Nos. 1 and 2 wide receivers on San Francisco’s depth chart entering training camp, and you can swap either with whatever placement spot you wish.

More from Niner Noise

• 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
• Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
• DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet 
• 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
• 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar

The depth behind them, though, is an open-ended question.

Organized team activities taught us there are effectively two top candidates for the No. 3 wide receiver on the depth chart: veteran Mohamed Sanu and the second-year pro, Jauan Jennings.

Both players are well over 6-foot tall, but Kyle Shanahan has never shied away from going with big-slot options anyway. And Shanahan’s alignment of wide receivers doesn’t always follow the prototypical WR1, WR2, slot deployment anyway.

What’s needed, however, is the kind of production from this role that generates two to three catches per game and a modest-but-critical 30 to 40 yards per contest.

Sanu certainly has the experience. But soon to be 32 years old and clearly on the downward trajectory of his career, is he going to wind up as the best option? Or will the 49ers go with youth, Jennings, despite the fact he spent his rookie season on the practice squad after being sluggish and unimpressive during training camp a year ago?

Considering how vital this need is and how there’s a void there right now, the Niners better hope that camp comes up with a solid answer.