San Francisco 49ers News

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans went through a massive change of scenery this offseason. After 12 years in Tampa Bay, the veteran pass-catcher inked a new contract with the 49ers, pairing him with talented quarterback Brock Purdy. While it's not necessarily a major quarterback upgrade or downgrade for Evans, the change of scenery could be valuable for his NFL career and fantasy outlook. His role was slipping a little in Tampa Bay as Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. took on larger roles. In San Francisco, Evans will be the clear No. 1 receiver, with Ricky Pearsall not serving as too much of a threat. Staying healthy will be the biggest key for Evans, who missed nine games last year and finally saw his streak of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons come to an end. We would not be surprised to see Evans finish 2026 as a mid-to-high WR2, and he even has WR1 upside. Even at 32 years old, he's an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues where his current manager is bothered by last year's injury issues.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall entered this offseason as a candidate for more targets with Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk both expected to depart. However, the 49ers' rather unexpected decision to sign Mike Evans has left Pearsall right back where he started this offseason: in the No. 2 receiver role. Operating in that same role last season, Pearsall caught 36 passes for 528 yards and zero touchdowns across nine games. He never played in more than four consecutive games due to injury, and he was held to fewer than five catches in two-thirds of his contests. All in all, Pearsall likely projects best as a No. 2 receiver, so we're not surprised to see that the 49ers signed a new No. 1. Still, it certainly limits Pearsall's floor and ceiling. Plus, it's not just Evans who will steal volume from Pearsall. Tight end George Kittle (Achilles) will fetch a boatload of targets when healthy, and running back Christian McCaffrey remains the centerpiece of this offense. There's not a lot of momentum behind Pearsall's name in dynasty fantasy football, so it's tough to sell high on him at this point. Managers are better off holding him and trading him at his peak value if Evans misses time due to injury.

It has felt inevitable for a while that the San Francisco 49ers would trade or release disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) this offseason. However, owner Jed York said at the owners' meetings on Monday that he would "like to see him play for us," when referring to Aiyuk. The 28-year-old former first-rounder in 2020 out of Arizona State had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023 and 15 total touchdowns before signing a four-year, $120 million contract with the Niners in August of 2024. Aiyuk played in only seven games that year before suffering a season-ending torn ACL. He did not play at all in 2025 and reportedly stopped showing up to the team's facilities for his rehab, which led to the 49ers voiding the guaranteed money left on his deal last year. It's still more likely that Aiyuk won't be playing in the Bay Area in 2026, and he'll be a huge question mark for fantasy managers after such a long layoff.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted that the team might try to give star running back Christian McCaffrey more breathers in 2026 to keep him healthy and fresh, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. McCaffrey was the overall RB1 in fantasy football scoring in 2025 and is coming off a career-high 413 touches. The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro will turn 30 this summer, and although CMC is a game-changer when he's on the field, the Niners are being mindful about his workload, especially when considering his lengthy injury history in his nine years in the NFL. "I know that I don't want Christian to have to take all of that. It was amazing that he did and was able to do that. The reason it's so hard to get Christian out is because of how much he affects everything in the pass game, even when he's not getting the ball... But in order for us to be the running team we want to be, in order to have Christian be as good as he can be throughout the whole year, we've got to get someone to help him," Shanahan said. Even with a potential reduction in touches in 2026, McCaffrey will be a no-doubt RB1 target in the first round of fantasy drafts this fall.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that the team is hoping that they can get something in return for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Shanahan is unsure when a potential trade might take place, and he also said, "I know we're in no rush to do that." The 49ers are still holding out hope of trading the disgruntled and injured former first-rounder. Once they've exhausted all those avenues, they are eventually expected to release him after signing him to a four-year, $120 million contract in August of 2024. Aiyuk played in only seven games that year, catching 25 of his 47 targets for 374 yards and no touchdowns before suffering a season-ending torn ACL. The 28-year-old out of Arizona State didn't play at all in 2025. The Niners are expected to eventually release him with a post-June 1 designation, and the Commanders have been the most rumored landing spot for Aiyuk if/when he's released. Aiyuk had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in the Bay Area before his injury in 2024, making him a high-risk, high-reward player going into 2026 fantasy drafts.

A contract extension for San Francisco 49ers All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams could be imminent, according to general manager John Lynch. "I would say in the last week, it's kind of intensified," Lynch said at the NFL owners' meetings. "And feel like we're on the precipice of something good happening." There were several reports in the last month that the 49ers could end up trading or releasing Williams if they couldn't agree to terms on a new deal. Lynch hasn't qualified the negotiations with Williams' camp as contentious at all, but said the situation required "nuance" because of his age (37). Despite his age, the former first-rounder (fourth overall) by Washington in 2010 out of Oklahoma has been a 12-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro in his 15 years in the league. Williams is still a high-end left tackle, so locking him up for what will likely be his final contract in the NFL will be a big boost for quarterback Brock Purdy and the rest of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch expects defensive lineman Mykel Williams (knee) to be back from his ACL tear for training camp this summer, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. However, Lynch acknowledged that Williams' recovery could take a little longer since he tore his ACL a month and a half into the season after pass-rusher Nick Bosa did. Williams also tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee in Week 9. The 21-year-old pass-rusher was the 11th overall pick last year out of Georgia. He played in nine games in his rookie campaign and had 20 tackles (11 solo), four tackles for loss, three QB hits, one sack, and a fumble recovery. We won't be surprised if the Niners play it very safe with Williams during training camp, but barring a setback, he will have a shot to be ready to play in Week 1 of the 2026 season.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said that he expects defensive lineman Nick Bosa (knee) to be back from his ACL tear for training camp this summer, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Bosa had surgery last September for a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 3. Since the injury occurred so early in the year in 2025, the 28-year-old All-Pro pass-rusher has a shot to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, depending on how he looks in training camp and the preseason. Getting Bosa back will be a massive boost to what was a totally banged-up defensive unit last year. The five-time Pro Bowler is a high-end IDP fantasy pass-rushing option when fully healthy, but he's high-risk, high-reward because of his lengthy injury history. Bosa led the league in sacks with 18.5 in 2022, and he has 64.5 sacks in his 85 games played over his seven NFL seasons. Twice in his career, though, Bosa has played in fewer than five games in a single season due to injuries.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said that tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is doing "very good" in his recovery from a torn Achilles in the postseason and that the team is hopeful that he'll be ready to play in Week 1 of the 2026 season, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Kittle will be managed carefully during training camp this summer, but "he's progressing at a good rate." The 32-year-old veteran tore his Achilles tendon in the team's Wild-Card round win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 11 and went under the knife a week later. Fantasy managers shouldn't take this as gospel that Kittle will be ready for the start of the regular season, as ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported over a month ago that the Pro Bowl tight end might not return until around Week 5. Kittle is a high-end TE1 option for fantasy managers when he's healthy, but the uncertainty around his injury going into 2026 will cause his price to drop. He finished as the TE11 in half-PPR scoring in 2025 with 57 catches for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in only 11 regular-season games played.

After failing to record a catch over his first two NFL seasons, San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges emerged as a quality contributor in 2025. Across 17 games, the 26-year-old hauled in 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns on 46 targets. Tonges' performance was enough to earn him a new two-year contract worth $8 million from San Francisco in free agency. The majority of his production in 2025 came when fellow 49ers tight George Kittle (Achilles) was sidelined by injury between Week 2 and Week 6. However, Tonges may have another chance to work as the 49ers' lead tight end to open 2026, as Kittle is currently recovering from a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered in the playoffs and is likely to miss time next season. Tonges could be a solid sleeper tight end option for fantasy managers to target heading into 2026.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's time in the Bay Area is likely over, but he could still be a low-cost target in dynasty leagues as he embarks on the next chapter of his career. All signs point to the 49ers designating Aiyuk as a post-June 1 release, putting an end to all the turmoil and drama that marred his first six years in the NFL. The 28-year-old played seven games in 2024 and zero in 2025, due to injury and personal issues with the organization. Hitting free agency will allow Aiyuk to have a fresh start, and he could perhaps return to his pre-2024 form. He was a top-15 fantasy receiver (PPR) in both 2022 and 2023, totaling more than 2,350 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns across those two years. The Arizona State product has shown that he has the talent to produce significant fantasy value, but now, he just needs to stay healthy and on good terms with his future team. Aiyuk's eventual landing spot remains unknown, but it's worth noting that he has been heavily linked to the Washington Commanders. He was teammates with quarterback Jayden Daniels in college, and Commanders general manager Adam Peters was part of the 49ers front office that drafted Aiyuk back in 2020.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones ended up playing in 11 games and making eight starts in his first year in the Bay Area in 2025 due to injuries to starter Brock Purdy, and he was impressive when on the field. Jones went 5-3 as a starter for the Niners, going 201-for-289 passing (69.6% completion percentage) with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 27-year-old former 15th overall pick in 2021 by the New England Patriots out of Alabama has garnered plenty of trade interest this offseason after signing a two-year, $8.41 million contract with the 49ers in March of 2025. The 49ers reportedly have an astronomically high asking price tag on Jones, though, so it seems unlikely he'll be dealt this offseason. Unless Jones is traded to a team that will give him a chance to start in 2026, he'll merely be an experienced, low-ceiling QB stash in dynasty leagues for depth at the most important position in football.

The Athletic's Matt Barrows believes that "there's a good argument" for the San Francisco 49ers to sign free-agent defensive end Joey Bosa. At this point in his career and given his lengthy injury history, the 49ers wouldn't be able to count on Bosa being an every-down defensive end, but with a pass-rush win rate over 20% in 2025 with the Buffalo Bills, he could be a nice situational pass-rusher. Two of San Fran's current defensive ends are coming off torn ACLs, including Bosa's younger brother, Nick. Barrows writes that the Niners may wait until after the upcoming NFL draft. If they add a top edge rusher in the draft, adding someone like Bosa won't be as urgent. Bosa is now 30 years old and carries significant injury risk. He managed to play in 15 regular-season games in 2025 with Buffalo, recording 29 tackles (17 solo), five sacks, nine tackles for loss, 16 QB hits, and a league-high five forced fumbles. Bosa is a five-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he hasn't had double-digit sacks in a season since 2021 with the Chargers.

The San Francisco 49ers did not pick up All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams' $10 million option bonus on Friday, which would have prorated over four years against the salary cap, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Instead, the money joins Williams' $22 million base salary for the 2026 season, and his new salary cap hit becomes $46.3 million. It's not tied to any guaranteed money, and his cap hit is expected to be reduced while the two sides continue to work on a new contract. The 37-year-old former fourth overall pick remains one of the league's best left tackles despite his age. Williams is a 12-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro. The 49ers certainly want to retain him to protect quarterback Brock Purdy's blind side, but they are also aware that he's no spring chicken anymore and is nearing the end of his career.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is working his way back from injury, and his medical status has started to impact his price tag in both dynasty and redraft leagues. Kittle isn't expected to miss too much time in 2026; he'll likely be sidelined for the first four weeks or so. Still, that short-term absence is already lowering his ADP in redraft leagues, and the overall recovery process is slightly reducing his price in dynasty leagues. Dynasty managers want to trade for Kittle knowing that they're getting a healthy top-tier TE1, and while Kittle fit that description before his injury, there's always a little risk and concern associated with a player coming back from an Achilles tear. Factors baked into a slightly reduced price tag include potential injury setbacks, Kittle being less than 100% when healthy, and the risk of re-injury. While Kittle is a borderline top-three tight end when healthy, his injury is already starting to influence his pricing this offseason. He's a typical "hold" in most dynasty leagues for now.

The San Francisco 49ers signed free-agent veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk to a one-year deal worth $6 million on Monday, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Kirk was a disappointment with 28 catches on 52 targets for 239 yards and one touchdown in his 13 regular-season games (three starts) in 2025 in his only season with the Houston Texans. However, he did close out the year on a strong note in two playoff games, catching 10 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Kirk is the latest addition to the Niners' WR room after the team signed future Hall of Fame pass-catcher Mike Evans in free agency last week. The additions of Evans and Kirk likely mean that Jauan Jennings won't be back in the Bay Area in 2026. Barring any additional injuries at the position in San Fran, Kirk figures to be the No. 3 behind Evans and Ricky Pearsall going into next season, his ninth in the NFL. After two straight rough seasons for Kirk, his fantasy value is way down, but landing in Kyle Shanahan's offense could make him a deep-league sleeper in PPR formats.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is a typical sell-high candidate in dynasty fantasy football leagues this offseason. Dynasty strategy strongly encourages managers to sell high on injury-prone skill players in their thirties coming off a top finish. However, moving McCaffrey at this point is far easier said than done, mostly because he's not comparable to any other running back in the NFL. Sure, he'll be 30 by the time the 2026 regular season gets underway, and yes, he missed 13 games in 2024. However, he was healthy for all 17 in 2025, he eclipsed 2,100 yards, and he finished as the clear-cut RB1 in fantasy scoring. Managers are encouraged to explore trade offers for McCaffrey, but they shouldn't sell high just for the sake of getting some compensation before it's too late in his career. Trading McCaffrey should still fetch a very significant, full-price package in dynasty leagues, because the 49ers' running back has overall RB1 upside again in 2026, and he should remain a top-10 option for at least a couple more years. Plus, the 49ers have shown no willingness to reduce his workload. They barely used backup Brian Robinson Jr. last season, and they have not yet brought in a replacement for Robinson in free agency.

The San Francisco 49ers did a simple restructure on All-Pro pass-rusher Nick Bosa's contract on Saturday, clearing $17.172 million in salary cap space for this year, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Bosa is still due $23.18 million this year, but his 2027 camp number is now a whopping $54,866,753. The Niners are clearly prioritizing winning now over long-term cap relief. The 28-year-old defensive end only played in three games in 2025 in his seventh year in the league due to a torn ACL that he suffered in late September. The 49ers are hopeful that the five-time Pro Bowler will be back in time for training camp this summer. Bosa's health will be crucial in determining whether the Niners' defense can bounce back in 2026. Before his torn ACL last year, he had 17 tackles (nine solo) and two sacks. Injuries have been an issue for him in his career, but if Bosa is healthy, he's one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL. He has 64.5 sacks in 85 regular-season games (83 starts).

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy battled a nagging toe injury for much of the first half of the 2025 season and was ultimately sidelined for eight games. Still, the 26-year-old got hot down the stretch and ultimately put together solid numbers in the nine games he was able to play, completing 69.4% of his pass attempts for 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Purdy also made a modest fantasy impact with his legs, rushing for 147 yards and three scores. Purdy could be without a couple of key weapons for at least the start of 2026, as star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) will likely miss the start of the year with a torn Achilles tendon, and wide receiver Jauan Jennings is currently lingering in unrestricted free agency. However, San Francisco made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by signing star wide receiver Mike Evans, who immediately gives Purdy a high-end downfield and red zone target. The 49ers could also get more out of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who has been limited by injuries to just 20 games played over his first two NFL seasons. While the loss of Kittle hurts, San Francisco still has a solid supporting cast around Purdy that should allow the young QB to continue to be a productive option for fantasy managers.

The San Francisco 49ers are agreeing to terms with free-agent linebacker Dre Greenlaw on a one-year, $7.5 million deal on Thursday, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Greenlaw was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round (148th overall) in 2019 out of Arkansas, and he spent the first six years of his NFL career in the Bay Area before joining the Denver Broncos last season. The 28-year-old linebacker will now return to the mix in San Francisco after recording 43 tackles (15 solo), one sack, an interception, and a forced fumble in eight regular-season games for the Broncos in 2025. Greenlaw battled hamstring and quadriceps injuries in Denver, and he just has not been the same player since suffering multiple lower-body injuries over the last two years. He played in just two games for the Niners in 2024. Before getting hurt in 2024, Greenlaw had two straight 100-plus tackle seasons in San Fran. In his return to the team, Greenlaw will likely be more of a rotational linebacker to give what was a banged-up defense last year some more depth.