San Francisco 49ers News

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.

After another disappointing season in 2025 with the Houston Texans in which he missed more time with injuries, wide receiver Christian Kirk signed a one-year, $8 million deal to play with the San Francisco 49ers as they rebuild their WR room this offseason. The 29-year-old former second-round pick in 2018 out of Texas A&M has faded in fantasy football circles in each of the last three years, totaling just 33 games played with the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars while catching 112 passes on 184 targets for 1,405 yards and five touchdowns. Although Kirk had over 100 yards in a playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, he had a weak 28-239-1 line in 13 regular-season games with Houston and failed to stand out. In San Fran, he will most likely be competing with rookie second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling for WR3 duties for the Niners behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall in 2026. Kirk is unlikely to see much volume, especially once tight end George Kittle (Achilles) returns. The move to the 49ers is an upgrade in offense with offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan, but Kirk's path to a resurgence will be a difficult one, and he's fallen all the way to No. 97 in RotoBaller's WR dynasty rankings.

The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James' biggest rival for the No. 2 job behind Christian McCaffrey this year might be third-round rookie Kaelon Black. The 49ers thought the 24-year-old Black was the second-best RB in the recent draft. He lacks the elusive skills that James possesses, but he is "sharp and powerfully built," and perhaps most importantly, he "handles himself well as a backfield blocker." The quickest way for a rookie RB to get reps on the field in meaningful games is to hold their own as a blocker, so Black could push James this season for a change-of-pace role. And don't forget that head coach Kyle Shanahan plans to get McCaffrey some more rest in 2026. In his final season in college at Indiana, Black had 186 carries for 1,040 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, adding just four receptions for 36 yards in 16 games played. Black probably won't have much redraft appeal in his rookie campaign unless CMC gets hurt. In dynasty setups, RotoBaller has Black ranked as the No. 50 RB.

The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that San Francisco 49ers rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling is more "Jauan Jennings-like in his ability to pancake opponents and otherwise help out in the running and short passing games" than veteran free-agent addition Christian Kirk as the Niners look for a new slot or "F" receiver to replace Jennings. Head coach Kyle Shanahan thinks the team's dip in downfield blocking was a reason they lacked explosive runs and pass plays in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Stribling isn't as big or strong as Jennings, and he must build chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy, but he is faster and will give the Niners more big-play ability in 2026 and beyond. At best, Stribling will be the WR3 in San Fran in his first year in the NFL behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall. He's probably not going to be on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues in 2026, and he might be more of a long-term project in dynasty formats as well. However, the Ole Miss product has lots of intangibles that the 49ers like. He's an under-the-radar dynasty target and is ranked as the No. 54 dynasty WR at RotoBaller.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a lost season in 2025 due to toe and shoulder injuries that cost him eight games. The former last pick in the seventh round (Mr. Irrelevant) in 2022 out of Iowa State finished with 2,167 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in nine regular-season starts to finish as the QB24 in fantasy football. But now that the 26-year-old is fully healthy as he embarks on his fifth year in the NFL, he's an obvious buy-low candidate with bounce-back potential in dynasty leagues in an offense that got some receiving upgrades in free agency in veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, and in the draft in rookie second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling. When he was on the field last year, Purdy mostly dinked and dunked in an offense that lacked consistent downfield threats in the passing game due to injuries. Getting tight end George Kittle (Achilles) back will be huge, but it's unclear when that will happen. As long as Purdy avoids the injury bug, he should be a fringe QB1 for fantasy managers. He's currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 13 dynasty signal-caller.

A fifth-round pick out of Oregon in the 2025 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James did not record a single carry during his rookie season. Still, despite the uninspiring start to his pro career, James could be a worthy target for dynasty managers. Superstar 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey remains atop the team's depth chart at the position and will dominate the team's backfield touches as long as he's healthy. However, James could be positioned to earn San Francisco's RB2 role, with the unproven duo of Isaac Guerendo and 2026 third-rounder Kaelon Black as his primary competition. McCaffrey is entering his age-30 season and has led the NFL in touches in two out of the last three years. If James can secure the lead backup role in San Francisco, he immediately becomes one of the best handcuff options in fantasy football. In dynasty formats, James profiles as a worthy dart throw for managers to stash in a bench spot just in case McCaffrey goes down with an injury.

Thanks to hamstring and collarbone injuries that forced him to miss nine games, veteran wide receiver Mike Evans posted the least productive season of his career in 2025. Across eight games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Evans hauled in 30 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns on 62 targets. Despite the down year, the San Francisco 49ers signed Evans to a three-year, $42 million contract in free agency. In San Francisco, Evans profiles as the clear WR1, particularly following the news that former 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings is signing with the Minnesota Vikings for 2026. As Evans enters his age-33 season, age and injury-related regression are obviously a concern. Still, he should see plenty of red zone opportunities while playing for the potent 49ers offense. For dynasty managers operating in win-now mode, Evans' stock is rising following his move from Tampa Bay to San Francisco.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has been an oft-injured disappointment through his first two seasons in the NFL after the Niners took him 31st overall in the 2024 draft. He's played in a total of 20 regular-season games (13 starts), catching 67 of his 99 targets for 928 yards and three touchdowns. Pearsall played in just nine games in 2025, finishing the regular season with 36 receptions for 528 yards and no touchdowns on 53 targets. The 25-year-old is still clearly in the team's long-term plans, but his already lengthy injury history hasn't endeared him to fantasy managers in dynasty leagues through his first two seasons in the league. The 49ers lost let Jauan Jennings walk in free agency and are expected to cut former first-rounder Brandon Aiyuk (knee), but they also added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency and drafted rookie De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round last month. Pearsall looked to be coming through for fantasy managers with a potential Year 2 breakout last year, recording 281 receiving yards in his first three games before the injury bug hit again. The good news is that Pearsall should be fully healthy this summer. Currently, he's RotoBaller's No. 47-ranked dynasty WR. He's a risk/reward buy-low candidate, but the team's offseason moves at the position prove that even the 49ers are unsure if Pearsall can be relied on.

When on the field, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey represents the biggest mismatch in fantasy football. Even in a down year by his own metrics, McCaffrey finished as the RB1 in 2025, his fifth top-three finish in as many healthy seasons. He touched the ball 44 more times than any other non-quarterback in the league, and while that sort of volume is exactly what makes him the most dominant asset in the game, it also makes him one of the riskiest. With McCaffrey taking 311 carries in 2025, it's important to note that he has handled more than 100 attempts in back-to-back seasons only one time since starting his career with three fully healthy campaigns, and he has never played more than six games following a season in which he carried the ball at least 220 times. At almost 30 years old, and with his past injury history pitted against his league-winning upside, he comes into organized team activities as RotoBaller's dynasty RB9. Given the way his last season went, it's likely he is already rostered by a contending team in most leagues, and while he profiles as an obviously risky hold, he remains, paradoxically, far too valuable to sell for the prices he's currently fetching.