The San Francisco 49ers are midway through training camp and injuries have already piled up. Interim head coach Chris Foerster can say whatever he wants about the injuries. but it’s clear the team is already getting beaten up.
Wide receiver, in particular, has been hit hard with Ricky Pearsall already set to miss the season due to knee surgery. Mike Evans has been a little banged up, rookie De’Zhaun Stribling has dealt with some ailments, and veteran Christian Kirk has yet to practice.
San Francisco had to go out and bring back Deebo Samuel, so it at least had a bit more depth at the position, but it’s important to take a look at where the current pecking order stands midway through camp.
49ers' current wide receiver depth chart
1. Mike Evans
Clearly, as long as Evans is healthy, he is going to be the top dog at receiver. He may be getting up there in years, but he’s proven that he can still be productive at his age.
He’s been held out of practice the last few days with a quad issue, which is not a great sign because they need him out there.
2. Deebo Samuel
Not many people would’ve thought Samuel would be WR2 in training camp, but here we are. If the season started tomorrow, he’d probably be a starter just because of the experience he brings to the table and the fact that he knows the offense so well.
We will have to see if Samuel looks better than he did the last time he was with the Niners, but at least he seems willing to do whatever is needed in his second stint with San Francisco.
3. Demarcus Robinson
Some were predicting veteran Demarcus Robinson would be cut before the start of the season, but he’s arguably been the most consistent pass-catcher so far in camp. He is very durable and stays on the field, so expect him to play a big role on offense this season.
4. De’Zhaun Stribling
The rookie was getting some rave reviews before injury kept him off the field in training camp, but he missed some time with a hamstring issue. Thankfully, he returned to practice on Thursday, and it certainly seems like he will play a role on offense this season.
5. Christian Kirk
While the veteran would probably be ahead of the rookie in the pecking order if he was healthy, Kirk simply hasn’t been able to practice so far. At his best, he can be an explosive deep threat. But if he’s not at full health, then it’s hard to see how big a contributor he will be this season.
6. Jacob Cowing
It’s clear Cowing was hurt the most by the Samuel reunion, but he can still carve out a roll for himself as a deep threat and returner, especially if Kirk remains out for a while.
7. Jordan Watkins
It will be hard for Jordan Watkins to make a big impression with so many names ahead of him on the depth chart, but if he can turn some heads in the preseason, that could be his ticket to moving up a bit.
8. Junior Bergen
Primarily thought of as a return specialist, reports from camp indicate Bergen is standing out as a receiver. So, if that’s a case, maybe he'll make the roster, which would be a step up after spending all of last season on the practice squad.
We will see how injuries impact this group this season, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see several of these players get opportunities, especially if the Pearsall surgery was foreshadowing of what's to come.
Add us as a preferred source on Google