On Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons. With wide receivers Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel injured, it was clear Brock Purdy simply didn't have the weapons to overpower a stout Atlanta defense.
Amid the disappointing performance, however, the Niners may have gained something even more valuable: another wide receiver coach Kyle Shanahan can depend on.
Wide receiver Jordan Watkins stepped up in a big way. He caught three passes for 56 yards, but the box score wasn't an accurate representation of his day.
He had two massive plays overturned, one being a touchdown catch that could have easily been upheld.
With so many receivers sidelined, someone needed to step up between Watkins, Brandin Cooks, and Christian Kirk. The youngster clearly elevated himself above the others, and it bodes well for the rest of the season, especially with the trade deadline looming.
Jordan Watkins stated his case for why he should play more (and why 49ers should stay silent on the trade market)
Having been a perennial practice squad player for much of his young career, Watkins is slowly carving out a role in San Francisco, and it could serve as yet another reason why GM John Lynch should stay away from recruiting outside help before the deadline in November.
Evans, Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, and De'Zhaun Stribling will all presumably be back in time for the team's playoff run, while Samuel and Evans will be pushing for a return coming out of the Week 8 bye.
Watkins is clearly not a bona fide alpha receiver, but he could serve as a serviceable complement to the other pass catchers. For multiple weeks now, he has shown an exceptional deep-play ability that various other members of the wide-receiver room simply don't have. If Shanahan views him as a viable option in the passing game, the 49ers may make the decision to prioritize other positional needs on the trade market.
On Sunday, he may have shown a ceiling that the coaching staff didn't know was there. His touchdown catch that was overturned was an impressive display of hands and body control, as her was forced to contort himself in a way that kept both feet in bounds. Even though the officials begged to differ, it was surely beneficial to see a receiver other than Evans display any sort of redzone proficiency.
Jordan Watkins was never going to be a one-for-one replacement for the injured Mike Evans, but he certainly threw his name into the ring of complementary wideouts. Time will tell whether the future Hall of Famer will be able to make a swift return, but when he does, Watkins will be waiting to play alongside him.
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