San Francisco 49ers News

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.

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges had not recorded a single reception through his first three years in the league, but when called to action in place of an injured George Kittle, he answered the bell in 2025. In the seven regular-season games that Kittle either missed entirely or left due to injury, Tonges averaged 40.6 receiving yards while scoring four touchdowns and turning in five top-12 fantasy finishes. With Kittle tearing his Achilles in a Wild Card win over the Eagles and his status in doubt for the start of the 2026 season, Tonges is a must-roster player for all Kittle dynasty managers. While most such managers have already acquired him, those who have not are doing themselves a disservice. Because he offers little standalone value when Kittle is healthy (he registered only 1.0 Half-PPR points per game in contests started and finished by Kittle), Tonges' value is exponentially higher to Kittle's managers than anyone else, making him an easy player to deal for without breaking the bank. With San Francisco adding veteran receiver Mike Evans through free agency, Tonges' situational ceiling will likely be lower in 2026, but at RotoBaller's dynasty TE36, he still offers enough in the way of a red zone threat to serve as an emergency streamer until Kittle is back to full health.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones showed he still carries some starting potential in 2025, completing 69.6% of his pass attempts for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions across 11 games (eight starts). Jones stepped into the 49ers QB1 role when Brock Purdy went down early in the year with toe and shoulder injuries and performed admirably. While Purdy's presence blocks Jones from fantasy-relevant playing time in San Francisco, 2026 is his final year under contract with the 49ers. At just 27 years old, Jones could land with a team that views him as a starter when he hits free agency next spring. San Francisco could also look to trade him at some point before the 2026 trade deadline, which would be another path to a potential starting role. Either way, deeper-league dynasty managers may want to consider stashing Jones for his long-term upside.

The San Francisco 49ers give a handful of draft prospects "gold helmet" designations for their exemplary standing in several areas, including leadership and football intelligence. Former Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who the team selected at 33rd overall at the top of the second round, is considered one of the "gold helmet" prospects, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. "The passion the guy has, the work ethic, the toughness, the durability. He checks all those boxes at a high level," vice president of player personnel Tariq Ahmad said. The 23-year-old Stribling also scored the highest ever in a personality test called the Judgment Index, which seeks to shed light on a player's decision-making skills and value. Stribling was a surprise pick at that spot early in the second round, as he never had over 882 receiving yards or six touchdowns in his five collegiate seasons at Washington State, Oklahoma State, and Ole Miss. At best, Stribling will be an option as San Fran's WR3 in his rookie season in 2026 behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall. He won't be on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues in 2026, but his size (6-foot-2, 207 pounds) and speed (4.36-second 40-yard dash) give him upside in the long term if his intangibles set him apart.

The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo, who was a fourth-round pick in 2024, "seems like he is buried" and will be "looking for a new team." The 49ers say that they will be looking to give Christian McCaffrey fewer touches in 2026, which is why they drafted rookie Kaelon Black in the third round. The Niners also have Jordan James, Patrick Taylor Jr., and Sincere McCormick in their RB room, leaving little playing time left for Guerendo. Black is expected to compete with James for the No. 2 role, so the 25-year-old Guerendo figures to be the RB4 in San Fran right now, at best. Guerendo carried the ball 84 times for 420 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and four touchdowns while adding 15 receptions for 152 yards through the air in 16 regular-season games (three starts), but he didn't see a single carry in 14 regular-season contests in Year 2 in 2025. He appears to be the odd-man out, making him a cut candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues going into the 2026 campaign.

After recording 1,040 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 186 carries across 16 games for the University of Indiana in 2025, running back Kaelon Black was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Black's path to immediate playing time is blocked off by all-world 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who has led the NFL in touches in two out of the last three seasons. However, McCaffrey has also played seven games or fewer in three out of his last five campaigns. Black likely enters his rookie season in a battle with Jordan James and Isaac Guerendo for the RB2 role in San Francisco. Both James and Guerendo offer some upside, but neither has proven worthy of a consistent role at the NFL level. If Black emerges as the 49ers' lead backup in training camp, his upside as a handcuff option would be through the roof. Additionally, with McCaffrey entering his age-30 season, Black could be a key part of San Francisco's future at the running back position. His dynasty stock is rising following the NFL Draft.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told ESPN that tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is "shooting to return" Week 1 against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams after tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles in January, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. It's unclear if Kittle is actually on track to be ready for the season opener, but it's where he's aiming. Kittle suffered a clean tear of his Achilles, which is expected to allow him to return quicker than usual for someone with a torn Achilles. While Kittle is hoping to be ready for Week 1, there's still a good chance he won't be ready for the start of the 2026 season, which will make him a pretty risky and volatile high-end TE1 target in fantasy football drafts. If Kittle is not ready to go by Week 1, Jake Tonges will be in play as a streaming option at the position early on. The 32-year-old Kittle only played in 11 games last year due to injuries and finished as the TE13 in half-PPR scoring. When healthy, he's been one of the top TEs in the league, though, catching at least six touchdown passes in five straight seasons.

It's been a surprise that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), who hasn't played since tearing his ACL in October of 2024, is still with the San Francisco 49ers, with April coming to an end this week. In January, general manager John Lynch said that it was "safe to say" that Aiyuk had played his last snap with the organization. Lynch later said an Aiyuk-related move would come before the new league year started on March 11. In late March, Lynch said he didn't have a date when asked when the 49ers might release Aiyuk, and he also added that "we're in no rush to do that." The 49ers were discussing a trade of Aiyuk in the lead-up to last week's NFL draft, but nothing came to fruition. Lynch seemed to indicate that if Aiyuk wasn't traded during the draft, they might finally release the former first-rounder. The Niners don't appear to be in any rush to do Aiyuk any favors after a lengthy contract dispute in 2024 before his season-ending knee injury that year. Aiyuk then stopped showing up for his rehab last year, at which point the team voided the remaining guarantees on his contract. The Athletic's Matt Barrows thinks the team's first organized team activity practice on May 27 might be an "unofficial marker" for Aiyuk's release. The 28-year-old former 25th overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, but he's coming off a major knee injury, which will make him a huge question mark in 2026 fantasy football leagues. The Commanders appear to be the likeliest landing spot for Aiyuk if he's eventually released, potentially linking up with former college teammate, QB Jayden Daniels.

Former 49ers and Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. remains unsigned following the 2026 NFL Draft, which saw 36 new receivers drafted into the league. In what was often described as a "flavors class" at the position, most receiver-needy teams were able to come away from the three-day event believing they'd found an offensive fit. At his peak, Samuel's physical YAC abilities made him one of the most unique receivers in the game, but even coming off a year in which he led a depleted Commanders team in receiving yards and touchdowns, age and injuries have slowed him considerably. Since finishing as the fantasy WR2 in a remarkable 2021 season that saw him top 1,750 yards from scrimmage while scoring 14 touchdowns, Samuel has exceeded 865 total yards only once and finished as the WR28 or worse in three of four seasons. With the NFL overlooking him in free agency and turning to a deep draft class to find scheme fits, it's possible that Samuel will need to wait for a training camp injury before finding a new home, and at 30 years old and RotoBaller's WR78, he's become little more than a dynasty hold who can hopefully see one more value spike if that home provides a natural match for his once-dominant skill set.

Across 15 games with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, wide receiver Jauan Jennings hauled in 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 targets. With 49ers wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall both missing significant time, Jennings spent most of the year as San Francisco's WR1. However, despite his solid production, Jennings currently remains an unrestricted free agent. While there are surely a number of teams interested in securing his services, recent reports indicate a league consensus that Jennings is holding out for more money than he is worth. The 49ers signed veteran wideouts Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency and used a second-round pick in the 2026 Draft on Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, which could be an indication that the team no longer considers Jennings a part of its plans. With his future currently in limbo, Jennings' dynasty value is slowly starting to fade as he enters his age-29 season.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk enters 2026 coming off the least productive season of his NFL career. Across 13 games with the Houston Texans in 2025, Kirk recorded 28 receptions for 239 yards and a touchdown on 52 targets. Kirk was definitely better in the playoffs, hauling in 10 catches for 164 yards and two scores on 15 targets across Houston's two postseason contests. Still, Kirk has now recorded fewer than 30 receptions in back-to-back seasons and has also missed 18 games over the past three years due to injury. In San Francisco, Kirk currently profiles as the team's WR3 alongside Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall. However, the 49ers used a second-round pick on Ole Miss wideout De'Zhaun Stribling in the 2026 Draft, which could complicate Kirk's role at some point in the 2026 season. Kirk may still have a role on deeper dynasty rosters as a veteran depth piece, but his upside is limited as he enters his age-30 season.

The Washington Commanders are expected to have interest in wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk if he is released by the San Francisco 49ers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. There seems to be a bit of a stalemate at this point in the offseason. The Niners have said they are in no rush and would like to trade Aiyuk. However, they've also said that Aiyuk will not play for them in 2026, so at some point, if a trade doesn't come to fruition, he'll have to be released. As a result, the Commanders are in no rush because they expect him to become a free agent before the regular season. Therefore, while Aiyuk to the Commanders is not imminent, it does seem like Washington is the early favorite to acquire him. He'd offer an enormous boost to their wide receiver room, which is relatively thin behind Terry McLaurin. Aiyuk hasn't played an NFL snap since 2024, when he tore his ACL seven games into a 25-catch, 374-yard campaign.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch told NFL Network that tight end George Kittle (Achilles) is doing well in his recovery and "is going to be ready at some point, if not for the first game." Kittle tore his Achilles in the playoffs last season, putting him at risk of missing the upcoming season opener. As of now, it sounds like Lynch is leaving the door open for Kittle to play in Week 1, but it's not a guarantee. The team should gain a clearer understanding of his recovery timeline as the offseason progresses. After all, the regular season opener is still more than four months away. Having Kittle healthy and on the field is huge for the 49ers and fantasy managers. He's one of the best tight ends in fantasy football, ranking as a top-five PPR tight end in each of his last six healthy seasons (minimum 12 games played). The injury factor complicates his draft price this year, but if he's ready within the first couple weeks of the season, he's a relatively safe bet to finish among the top five tight ends in PPR leagues once again.

The San Francisco 49ers are still "hoping and trying" to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. There had been plenty of speculation that Aiyuk would be released before the draft, and when that didn't happen, questions started arising about his future with the organization. Then, the 49ers selected Mississippi wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick, and that all but confirmed Aiyuk remains a non-factor in the team's future plans. At this point, it remains unclear how long the 49ers will wait to find a trade partner. Presumably, they would want this entire Aiyuk saga to be resolved sooner rather than later, and potential trade partners would also like to get a deal done so that they can know what their roster will look like next season. The end of the draft could be a turning point in negotiations, so we wouldn't be surprised to see Aiyuk dealt in the next week or so. He hasn't played an NFL snap since 2024, when he tore his ACL seven games into a 25-catch, 374-yard campaign.

The San Francisco 49ers have selected University of Indiana running back Kaelon Black with the 90th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Black spent the first two years of his college career at James Madison before transferring to Indiana for his final two collegiate seasons. Across 16 games with the Hoosiers in 2025, he recorded 1,040 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 186 carries. Black had just eight total receptions across his final 29 games in college, so he doesn't profile as much of a receiver out of the backfield. However, he's considered to be a physical downhill runner who could excel in short-yardage situations at the NFL level. With the 49ers, Black could have a chance to emerge as the primary backup to star San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey with a strong showing in training camp.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick at the top of Round 2 in the 2026 NFL draft on Friday night. Stribling has the potential to be a true WR1 down the road in San Francisco, and he's an excellent jump-ball artist down the field at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds. The Niners entered the offseason with receiver being an area of need with Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) time with the organization coming to an end, and the team not expected to re-sign Jauan Jennings. They signed future Hall of Famer Mike Evans in free agency and have now added Stribling through the draft. Stribling played two years each in college at Washington State and Oklahoma State before finishing off with Ole Miss in 2025, where he caught 55 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games played. Stribling could be a dynasty sleeper while working with quarterback Brock Purdy, mainly because of his elite vertical burst down the field. The selection of Stribling is bad news for the long-term value of Ricky Pearsall, a former first-rounder.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had the first half of his 2025 season disrupted by toe and shoulder injuries that forced him to miss eight games. Still, the 26-year-old was effective down the stretch of the season, finishing the year with 2,167 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Purdy also added three touchdowns as a rusher. Heading into 2026, Purdy could be without star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) to start the year. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings also currently remains unsigned and is not a lock to be back with the 49ers. However, San Francisco made a big splash in free agency by signing veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, giving Purdy a true number one option on the outside and in the red zone. Given the unsettled nature of the offense around him in San Francisco, there might be a window for dynasty managers to buy low on Purdy.