49ers vs. Chiefs: 5 fringe players who impressed most in preseason loss

49ers Fringe Player No. 3: Wide Receiver Nsimba Webster

Speaking of depth wide receivers, it might be tough for Kyle Shanahan to completely rule out adding wideout and return specialist Nsimba Webster off the 53-man roster in 2021.

Webster, a late offseason add to the 90-man roster, got his chances both on offense and on special teams in the second half and surely made the most of them.

In the return game, Webster managed three kickoff returns for a total of 62 yards with a long going for 43, while he also managed to contribute on offense with two catches for 18 yards and one notable 34-yard rush.

Webster was likely an afterthought heading into the preseason, little more than a player who might help round out the bottom end of the depth chart while pushing players ranked ahead of him.

Unfortunately, Webster’s recent ascent essentially comes at the expense of the previous return specialist, wide receiver Richie James, who handled his return duties just fine but probably worked his way down the depth chart by dropping two passes thrown his way earlier in the game.

Considering the 49ers may be looking for a special teams spark in the return game anyway, seeing Webster serve well in that role as well as a potential offensive gadget player could ultimately mean he ends up replacing James on the regular-season roster this season.