When the San Francisco 49ers made Ricky Pearsall the second-to-last pick in the first round of the 2024 draft, they certainly envisioned him having a big role right away.
But it was not to be, as Pearsall was shot during a robbery attempt last August and he missed the first six games of the season. That being said, he was thrust right into a prominent role with 15 targets and 11 receptions over his first three games.
After a multi-game downturn, fueled by Brock Purdy missing a game, game scripts one direction or the other and memorably rough weather conditions in one case, Pearsall finished last season on an upswing with 14 catches (on 18 targets) for 210 yards and two touchdowns over the final two games.
The long-brewing trade of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL) likely out for weeks into the season has opened up opportunity for others in the 49ers' wide receiving corps. Jauan Jennings of course one to note, but Pearsall is on a parallel track for a breakout in 2025.
Breakout path for Ricky Pearsall is fully cleared after the draft
The 49ers needed to fill out their depth chart in a few spots during the draft, and having 11 picks allowed them to do so. They used two Day 3 picks on wide receivers (Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen), but it would be surprising (or injury-forced) for either of them to have a big rookie season as key cogs in the 49ers' offense.
In fantasy football terms, the time after the NFL Draft is the time for drafts in dynasty leagues to start happening and offseason deal-making between managers to ramp up.
In that context, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report has named Pearsall as a fantasy "buy" candidate after the draft.
"Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL last October, which may keep him out through the first half of the upcoming season. The 49ers may be cautious about his ramp-up period."
"San Francisco traded Deebo Samuel, so Pearsall and Jauan Jennings will open the 2025 season as the team's top two receivers."
"Last year, Pearsall battled injuries, including a gunshot wound stemming from a robbery attempt. Still, he recovered and made notable contributions in the second half of the season. He caught 14 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns between Weeks 17 and 18."
"Now healthy, with a full offseason ahead of him, the 24-year-old is a breakout candidate in his second season."
Moton proposed trying to buy Pearsall for one of a trio of wide receivers: Xavier Legette (Carolina Panthers), Darnell Mooney (Atlanta Falcons) and Jalen Tolbert (Dallas Cowboys). At a glance, a dynasty fantasy manager might be able to get a deal done for Pearsall by parting with Legette. The manager who has Pearsall in a dynasty league (or ends up drafting him) is unlikely to (and shouldn't) part with him for only Mooney or Tolbert.
But Moton did nail the bottom line. With the draft in the books, Pearsall's path to a second-year breakout has been fully cleared and fantasy managers should take notice if they haven't already.