San Francisco 49ers News

The San Francisco 49ers' selection of Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the first pick of the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft was viewed by many as one of the bigger reaches of the entire draft, but landing with one of the league's most respected combinations of quarterback and play-caller in Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan, Stribling is well-positioned to make an early impact. With Shanahan operating heavily out of 12 and 21-personnel sets, his wideouts in two-receiver formations have naturally seen an uptick in efficiency. While one of those spots is all but guaranteed to go to free agent acquisition Mike Evans, Stribling needs to beat out only Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk for something close to an every-down role. Stribling's size and tenacity as a blocker make him an obvious candidate to inherit Jauan Jennings' vacated role, and he could prove to be one of the better values in an underwhelming 2026 draft class. As RotoBaller's dynasty WR57, he is a low-cost target in rookie drafts or startups who could pay immediate dividends, particularly if All-Pro tight end George Kittle requires an extended ramp-up period to begin the year.

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James appeared in just three games and did not record a single carry as a rookie last season. However, James reportedly has a strong chance to enter 2026 as the 49ers' primary backup behind superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. Following the offseason departure of former 49ers back Brian Robinson Jr., James' primary competition for the RB2 role appears to be rookie third-rounder Kaelon Black and 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo. While James is not guaranteed to win the job, he may have the well-rounded skill set of the group and has drawn praise from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan this offseason. As long as McCaffrey stays healthy, James' path to fantasy-relevant playing time will remain blocked. Still, McCaffrey has a long injury track record and is entering his age-30 season after logging an NFL-leading 413 touches in 2025. Dynasty managers should prioritize buying low on James ahead of his potential emergence as a high-end handcuff running back.

Playing for his first new team since the Buccaneers selected him in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans has been impressing his new teammates, with All-Pro tight end George Kittle recently telling reporters he brings a "new dimension" to the offense, particularly in the red zone. Evans has been complimentary of both his new system and quarterback, praising head coach and playcaller Kyle Shanahan for putting him in good opportunities against one-on-one coverage and noting that fifth-year professional Brock Purdy was one of the big reasons he came to San Francisco. The 49ers have deployed 21-personnel at the league's highest rate in each of the past two seasons, and with defenses needing to account for a fullback with an extra body near the box, Evans could see one of the highest rates of man coverage in his career, and if he can translate that into double-digit touchdown receptions, a mark he's cleared in four of the last six seasons, he'll prove to be a steal at RotoBaller's WR26.

Since 2021, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk has taken more than 75% of his snaps out of the slot, but in signing with the Niners in free agency, he landed with a team that deployed 11 personnel at the league's sixth-lowest rate in 2025. In the Kyle Shanahan era, no team has more regularly removed a receiver from the formation in favor of a fullback than the 49ers, putting Kirk at a disadvantage before even factoring in the team's splashier free agent signing of six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans or the surprise selection of De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. There's a slim possibility of a tendency shift to lighter personnel early in the year as the team awaits a return to health from All-Pro tight end George Kittle, but even in this unlikely scenario, Kirk could still find himself fighting for playing time behind Evans, Stribling, and 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. Once partly responsible for resetting the wide receiver free agent market, Kirk is now 29 years old, and at RotoBaller's dynasty WR97, he is no longer a player who needs to be rostered in shallower leagues.

New San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans has quickly won over his coaches and teammates in the Bay Area during OTAs, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Not only has Evans, a surefire future Hall of Famer, been humble around his new teammates, but his length and route-running abilities have stood out in practices. "I pinch myself every day," tight end George Kittle said. "This is like the first legit veteran wide receiver I've had on my roster since Emmanuel Sanders in 2019, in my opinion. And nothing against the other veteran receivers I've had, but he's a Hall of Famer. I think he takes ball seriously. That kind of sets the tone for the wide receiver room, especially when we have a bunch of young guys in there." Evans' string of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons ended in 2025 due to a broken clavicle, but he's intent on starting a new streak in 2026 at 32 years old. Joining the Niners gives Evans a clear path back to the 1,000-yard mark and perhaps even double-digit touchdowns, but there's no denying the risk involved with an aging player like Evans, who has a lot of tread on the tires. Fantasy managers would be wise to target him as more of a high-end WR3/low-end WR2 in drafts this fall.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) said he is "on track" to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Kittle tore his Achilles tendon on January 11 during San Francisco's NFC Wild Card round win over the Philadelphia Eagles. However, it appears as though the 32-year-old has a chance to get back on the field roughly eight months after the injury. Kittle battled through an injury-marred 2025 regular season even before the Achilles tear, missing six games due to ankle and hamstring injuries. However, the veteran tight end remained highly productive when healthy, recording 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns on 69 targets. With Kittle coming off a serious injury and entering his age-33 campaign, it's fair to project a bit of decline in his production. Still, he profiles as a top-12 fantasy tight end if he can truly make it back for the start of 2026.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (undisclosed) hasn't thrown in OTA practices last week or this week due to undisclosed "soreness," according to Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News. There isn't really any concern that Jones won't be a full-go for the start of training camp at the end of July. The 27-year-old went 5-3 as the Niners' starter last year in place of the injured Brock Purdy, completing a career-best 69.6% of his pass attempts for 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 11 games played (eight starts). Jones more than kept the 49ers afloat as injuries decimated both sides of the ball. Purdy is fully healthy heading into the start of the 2026 campaign, which leaves very little fantasy value for Jones in single-year leagues. He'll once again be a valuable insurance policy for Purdy as he heads into his sixth year in the NFL. Jones thrived in head coach Kyle Shanahan's QB-friendly offense last year, but it still didn't make him much more than a QB2 streamer in superflex fantasy leagues.

A warrant has been issued for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's arrest in Northern California, according to Edward Lewis of The California Post. Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office. The matter stems from a video that the pass-catcher posted to his YouTube page in December. He reached speeds of over 100 mph on Santa Clara roadways, at one point hitting 104 mph as he went by Levi's Stadium. The 28-year-old former first-rounder in 2020 out of Arizona State had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Niners in 2022 and 2023 before signing a four-year, $120 million contract with the team in August of 2024. Aiyuk then only played in seven games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Aiyuk missed the entire 2025 campaign and is likely to be released by the organization this offseason. Most reports project Aiyuk to land with the Washington Commanders, where he would be reunited with quarterback Jayden Daniels. However, this new legal matter could complicate matters and open Aiyuk up to a suspension from the NFL to begin the 2026 season.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been an undervalued dynasty asset since coming into the league as the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Since taking over as a full-time starter, Purdy finished as the fantasy QB6 in 2023 and the QB14 in 2024, despite missing two games. While a significant turf toe injury limited him to only nine games in 2025, he was a fantasy difference maker in almost every one of those appearances. From Weeks 11 through 17, Purdy was the QB4, including back-to-back QB1 finishes and a 34.9-point average in the final two games of the fantasy playoffs. Christian McCaffrey, Mike Evans, and George Kittle will all be on the wrong side of 30 for the 2026 season, with Kittle already a question mark for the start of the year as he recovers from a postseason Achilles tear, but when healthy and on the field together, they should create one of the league's most fantasy-friendly groups of pass-catchers in Kyle Shanahan's high-powered offense. Purdy is 26 years old heading into his fifth season, and at RotoBaller's dynasty QB13, he is still undervalued as a perceived QB2 in superflex leagues with legitimate QB1 upside.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans will be 33 to begin the 2026 season and is coming off a disappointing injury-tarnished year in which he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Starting fresh with a new team for the first time since the Buccaneers made him the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, he has fallen all the way to WR40 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings, making him a strong bounce-back candidate and a lower-cost trade target for contending managers. Evans has been one of the league's most efficient pass-catchers with two or fewer receivers on the field, and in moving from one of the league's heaviest rates of 11 personnel to a Niners team that ran the highest percentage of plays with a fullback on the field, those opportunities should only increase. A growing history of soft tissue injuries should not be ignored, but if Evans can stay healthy in 2026, he's capable of returning immediate value as a short-term dynasty buy.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has struggled to stay on the field through his first two seasons in the league, but some of the flashes he's shown in brief spurts have demonstrated the abilities that made him a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and suggested that a fantasy breakout could be lurking if he can piece it all together for a full season. All-Pro tight end George Kittle is expected to miss time after rupturing his Achilles in the 2025 postseason, and there is a belief that Christian McCaffrey's workload could be dialed back after handling a league-high 440 opportunities in his age-29 season. Although the team spent an unexpected second-round pick on Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, Pearsall's primary target competition in two-receiver sets will be a 33-year-old Mike Evans who has dealt with soft tissue injuries in the past and most recently missed nine games with hamstring issues, a concussion, and a broken collarbone. While Pearsall has missed 14 games of his own to a variety of injuries, including a gunshot wound before he'd ever taken an NFL snap, he has finished as the fantasy WR26 or better in 35% percent of his games. Still only 25 years old, Pearsall has both the ability and the opportunity to turn in week-winning performances, and if he can find health and consistency in year three, he has a strong chance of rising dramatically from his current spot of dynasty WR47 in RotoBaller's latest rankings.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was an unquestionably dominant force in fantasy football in 2025, collecting 2,126 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns on 413 touches across 17 games. Even in a year in which he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, McCaffrey provided ridiculous receiving production with 102 catches for 924 yards and seven scores on 124 targets. As long as McCaffrey stays healthy, he has a solid chance to finish as the overall RB1 once again in 2026. However, dynasty managers need to at least consider selling high on the superstar back. McCaffrey is entering his age-30 season in 2026. He also has an extensive track record of injury issues and is coming off a year in which he led the NFL in touches. The last time McCaffrey led the league in touches was 2023, and he followed that up by playing just four games in 2024. For dynasty managers who are not in immediate contention in their leagues, moving McCaffrey for a king's ransom could be the right call.

Across 17 games in 2025, San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges recorded 34 catches for 293 yards and five touchdowns on 46 targets. Nearly all of the 26-year-old's production in games where top 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) was either sidelined or forced to leave early due to injury. In seven such contests, Tonges recorded five top-12 fantasy finishes at the tight end position. While a healthy Kittle will block Tonges from consistent fantasy production, Kittle is currently working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon that ended his 2025 season in January. The veteran Kittle is targeting Week 1 as his return date, but that would be just eight months after the injury and may not be feasible. As a result, Tonges profiles as a quality stopgap injury replacement for Kittle managers. In dynasty formats, Tonges may even profile as the tight of the future in San Francisco with Kittle entering his age-33 season and coming off a serious injury.

San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (pectoral) tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights around a month ago, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he could be ready at the end of training camp this summer, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Torn pectoral muscles typically end a player's season, so we're still a bit skeptical that the 25-year-old will be ready so soon. Even before his injury, the former fourth-rounder in 2024 out of Louisville had seen his stock drop considerably after not seeing a single offensive snap in Shanahan's offense in 2025 in his second year in the NFL. Brian Robinson Jr., who was the team's backup behind Christian McCaffrey last season, is now in Atlanta, but both Jordan James and rookie fifth-rounder Kaelon Black probably have a clearer path to RB2 duties in the Bay Area in 2026, especially now that Guerendo is going to miss the start of camp. Guerendo has elite speed and averaged 5.0 yards per carry on 84 rushing attempts in 16 games as a rookie, but his redraft and dynasty stock are currently at an all-time low.

Despite tearing his Achilles tendon in the postseason back in January, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is holding out hope that he'll be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in Australia against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, according to Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire. Making it more difficult for Kittle is the fact that the team will have to leave much earlier than they would for a regular road game. Kittle admitted it will be a "little bit difficult" to be active for Week 1 due to the flight to Australia. Though the 32-year-old seven-time Pro Bowler only played in 11 regular-season games in 2025 due to injuries, he still caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns to finish as a top-15 TE in half-PPR fantasy scoring. Kittle's Achilles tear was considered a best-case scenario, but it doesn't mean he won't miss a couple of weeks early on in 2026. For that reason and because of ongoing durability questions, Kittle has fallen outside of RotoBaller's top-10 fantasy TEs going into the upcoming season.

Quarterback Mac Jones and the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a revised contract for 2026, adding a $300,000 roster bonus that will allow him to earn up to $5.8 million with incentives before reaching free agency in 2027. Following a 2024 season in Jacksonville in which he stepped in for an injured Trevor Lawrence and maintained fantasy relevance not just for himself but also for the team's pass catchers, he did the same for San Francisco in 2025. With 49ers starter Brock Purdy impacted by a significant turf toe injury, Jones started eight games, finishing as the QB15 or better in five of them while keeping some of San Francisco's fantasy juggernauts afloat. He returns to the 49ers on the reworked final year of the two-year pact he signed in 2025, and at Rotoballer's QB45, Jones remains one of the most capable backups in the league, and a player who should be rostered in every superflex dynasty league.

San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo had 84 rushing attempts for 420 yards and four touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (three starts) in 2024 after the Niners took him in the fourth round of the NFL draft out of Louisville. He also added 15 receptions for 152 yards as a pass-catcher. The 25-year-old fell out of favor in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense in 2025, though, and All-Pro RB Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy all year long. Guerendo was limited to special teams duties and surprisingly didn't see a single touch on offense despite his elite speed. Brian Robinson Jr. handled the change-of-pace role to CMC. B-Rob is gone, but signs are pointing to Jordan Mason being the favorite for the RB2 job in the Bay Area in 2026, and rookie Kaelon Black could even jump Guerendo on the team's RB depth chart with a strong summer in training camp. McCaffrey could easily get hurt again in 20206, but even if he does, we can't say with any certainty that Guerendo would be next in line for a much bigger backfield role. A change of scenery might be what he needs to become relevant in dynasty leagues again. Guerendo has plummeted all the way to No. 99 in RotoBaller's RB dynasty rankings for the upcoming season.

ESPN's Nick Wagnoer writes that running back Jordan James is the most likely to win the RB2 spot for the San Francisco 49ers in 2026 behind All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. James, a fifth-round pick last year, dealt with knee and finger injuries in training camp last summer and was active for only the final three games of the regular season and two playoff contests in his first year in the NFL. In the postseason loss to the Seattle Seahawks, James got some action in garbage time and had six carries for 28 yards and added one reception for seven yards. "[He] came on really strong at the end of last year, but he missed so much in the beginning," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "He kind of just missed his window to pass some other people up. I wish I would have got him on the field more than I did. He needs to take that next step." With Brian Robinson Jr. now in Atlanta, James, Isaac Guerendo, and rookie Kaelon Black will compete for backup duties. The Niners are reportedly looking to reduce CMC's overall workload, so James could be a highly sought-after handcuff in fantasy football this fall. Guerendo didn't log a single snap on offense in 2025, so James should have the upper hand over him and Black. At RotoBaller, James is ranked as the No. 56 RB for 2026 fantasy leagues.

When healthy, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) remains among the truly elite fantasy difference-makers at the position. On a per-game basis, Kittle was 2025's TE4, finishing almost two Half-PPR points per game higher than the TE5. Unfortunately, he missed five games with a hamstring injury, and his season ended in a Wild Card win over the Eagles with a devastating Achilles tear that threatens his availability for the start of the 2026 season. All reports have suggested that his recovery is going smoothly, but with San Francisco's opening game coming only eight months after the initial injury, it's unlikely Kittle will be ready to go in Week 1, and at 32 years old, he's fallen all the way to RotoBaller's dynasty TE14. At that cost, he has become a screaming buy for contending managers, as he should be close to full health by the fantasy playoffs, and even at 80%, Kittle is capable of putting up week-winning performances in an offense that has long supported multiple fantasy stars.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) tenure with the San Francisco 49ers is most likely coming to an end sooner rather than later, but since we don't yet know his next destination, it's extremely difficult to gauge his value in dynasty/keeper leagues. The 28-year-old former 25th overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State is still on the 49ers' roster, but they are hoping to get something in return for him in a trade. If nothing works out, Aiyuk will be released despite signing a four-year, $120 million extension with the team in August of 2024 after two straight 1,000-yard seasons in the Bay Area with 15 total touchdowns. Aiyuk played in only seven games in 2024 and caught just 25 passes for 374 yards and no TDs before suffering a season-ending torn ACL. He didn't play at all in 2025 and wore out his welcome with the organization when he stopped showing up for his rehab. The Nevada native clearly has high-end talent, but in addition to the mystery of where he'll be playing in 2026, we also don't know how he'll rebound from a serious knee injury. Theoretically, Aiyuk's buy-low window in dynasty leagues is wide open, but there's obviously plenty of risk. He's been rumored as a candidate to reunite with college teammate Jayden Daniels in Washington, where he would team up with wideout Terry McLaurin. That would be a best-case landing spot.