Latest rash of injuries highlights need for these 49ers WRs to step up

The San Francisco 49ers not only lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, they may have also lost their top two wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings on a short week.

If they are without them both, they need other guys to step up.

Pearsall left the game early, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the hope is it's a minor PCL issue. But even if it is minor, the fact the Niners square off against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night means it could still keep Pearsall out of that game.

Jennings left Sunday's game but returned, although Shanahan noted Jennings' status will be up in the air for Thursday as well.

This is pretty rough news since Pearsall has emerged as a scary receiving threat, and Jennings is a reliable option, too. If San Francisco is without one or both of those guys, then other receivers are going to need to step up in a big way.

Demarcus Robinson, who returned in Week 4 after a three-game suspension, is going to need to fill some of the void potentially left by the absence of Pearsall and Jennings. Robinson hauled in one catch for 20 yards on Sunday as he was targeted twice by quarterback Brock Purdy.

It was just his first game, but if Robinson can get going, he could potentially be the key to San Francisco's offense especially as he faces off against his former team, the Rams.

Another player who will need to step up is Kendrick Bourne. The veteran had one catch for 17 yards on four targets, although he had three drops, including a massive one on third down which brutally changed the momentum of the entire game.

It was a rough outing, but the Niners are going to need him to bounce back quickly against the Rams on Thursday especially if other guys are unable to go.

San Francisco has had to deal with a bevy of injuries this season, so the "next man up" mentality is nothing new. Still, the 49ers are going to need some key contributions from Robinson and Bourne on Thursday night with the team possibly missing Pearsall, Jennings, and their star tight end George Kittle, who has been out since Week 1.