49ers training camp: Trent Sherfield now a favorite for No. 3 wideout?

Earlier this offseason, the 49ers’ No. 3 wide receiver seemed to be going towards other players, but Trent Sherfield has entered the chat during training camp.

Going back and looking at the San Francisco 49ers‘ top candidates for their No. 3 wide receiver opening behind Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, the two names who were standing out the most after organized team activities were Mohamed Sanu and Jauan Jennings.

Now, Trent Sherfield has to be tossed into the mix.

A few days into Niners training camp, Sherfield has regularly been one of the favorite targets for the two players in another heated battle, quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance.

It was something The Athletic’s Matt Barrows noted after Tuesday’s practices, too:

To back up Barrows’ statement, fellow Athletic writer David Lombardi noted how Sherfield “appears to have added some bulk from his time in Arizona” and is “looking like a dependable target with a physical presence.”

San Francisco brought in Sherfield, the Arizona Cardinals‘ undrafted free-agent addition in 2018, on a one-year, $920,000 deal with $200,000 guaranteed, per Over the Cap, which is a pretty good indicator that his roster status is safe for 2021.

Even though his role remains a question mark.

Nevertheless, seeing Sherfield emerge as a favorite target for both quarterbacks vying for the starting job is a good sign.

Trent Sherfield caught an amazing bomb from 49ers QB Trey Lance

Lance certainly got all the hype and attention on Tuesday after reeling off an off-balance against-the-grain throw for 50 yards that went for a touchdown.

But Sherfield was the one who ultimately caught it.

“Trey made a great read,” Sherfield told reporters after practice. “He just read the defense really well, a two-high look, and I just stuck to my responsibility. And Trey threw an awesome ball down the middle for me to make a play.”

Read More: Trey Lance tosses a Mahomes-like bomb during 49ers practice

A growing rapport between Sherfield and Lance could be the X-factor element the receiver needs to secure the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind Aiyuk and Samuel. Despite never having more than 19 receptions in any one season over his three-year career, with much of his work coming on special teams, Sherfield is certainly standing out for the right reasons early in training camp.

And his special teams work should be a big bonus, too, as depth wideouts almost always need to be able to contribute in this manner.

There’s still a long way to go, and it’s possible Sherfield slides back down the depth chart while players like Sanu and/or Jennings can ascend back up again.

For now, however, it’s appearing as if Sherfield is the new favorite to emerge as the 49ers’ tertiary receiver.