On Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers will face off against the Denver Broncos in a West Coast showdown. San Francisco comes into the matchup with a hobbled wide receiver room. Aside from the laundry list of long-term ailments, star wideout Mike Evans has been questionable all week and will most likely be limited in the contest.
Assuming Denver's star cornerback, Pat Surtain II, will be shadowing Evans for the duration of the game, quarterback Brock Purdy will have to rely on the likes of Deebo Samuel, Brandin Cooks, and Jordan Watkins to produce on the outside. But Kyle Shanahan would be wise to understand that a heavy dose of the newly signed Cooks could be extremely detrimental in the long run.
The reality is Jordan Watkins, not Cooks, deserves to play the majority of snaps on three-receiver sets. Thus far in his young career, he has established himself as the kind of player who will do anything to get on the field. From watching games on the sidelines as a healthy scratch to asking his head coach what he needs to do to get more playing time, he is emerging as a true inspiration to young athletes looking to grind their way to the top.
Though Watkins will likely never be the alpha pass catcher, his work ethic and dependability have already paid off this season, as he caught two balls for 60 yards in last week's win over the Arizona Cardinals. Thus far, he has proved that he is worthy of Shanahan's ever-growing trust.
49ers can't let an aging veteran get in the way of their promising young talent
Brandin Cooks, on the other hand, has been on the team for less than two weeks, and he may find himself in a position to steal opportunities away from San Francisco's more unproven receivers. However, it's in the team's best interest if Shanahan, who notoriously favors veteran players, sticks with higher-upside players like Watkins.
Cooks, who is 33 years old, presents no long-term upside for a Niners team that has virtually lost all of its deep threats for most of the regular season. He hasn't surpassed 300 receiving yards since 2023, and he is little more than a stopgap solution while other players get healthy.
Meanwhile, Watkins has already proven he can stretch the field, evidenced by his 34-yard snag last week, and the entire offense would benefit if he turns out to be a legitimate weapon.
Granted, his development is not a guarantee, but the 49ers are 3-0 and have built up a buffer in terms of being able to experiment with things. It's not as if they'd be taking a gamble. The youngster has already proven he is ready to work hard. It is a matter of whether he can find another gear with heightened in-game reps.
While Cooks is the safer option, Watkins is the kind of swing that a team with Super Bowl aspirations makes. If the 49ers are serious about hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Week 4 represents a perfect opportunity to find out what they have in their young receiver.
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