WR Ricky Pearsall Fantasy
The San Francisco 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall with the 31st pick of the NFL draft. This was quite surprising for two reasons: 1) Pearsall was a projected 2nd-3rd rounder, so he got a whole round of draft capital increase, and 2) the 49ers have not traded Brandon Aiyuk (who was the subject of many trade rumors) which made it seem that they wouldn’t be addressing that position in the draft. Sure, Aiyuk’s contract expires at the end of this year while fellow receiver Deebo Samuel is a free agent after next season. George Kittle also hits free agency after next year. This draft pick seems to be a move toward the future and a good contingency plan if Aiyuk ends up leaving or an injury hits another player. Pearsall is an incredible talent and will be a force for years to come on this San Francisco team, but let’s pump the brakes for this year and potentially next.
Fantasy Value
Ricky Pearsall started his collegiate career at Arizona State before transferring to Florida for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He steadily progressed every year but never totaled more than 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. 2023 was the only season where he had more than 700 receiving yards. What’s interesting about Pearsall, as a prospect, is that his production does not match his profile. He’s an excellent route runner and can move in and out of cuts with ease. He can run darn near any route you ask him to and won’t drop many passes. You’d think this guy would be a go-to target. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and it won’t be the case for his 2024 rookie season either. He’s currently buried on the depth chart and will be the #3 receiver at best. There are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense and Pearsall just isn’t one.
Dynasty Value
Ricky Pearsall holds a decent amount of dynasty value, but it is still hard to project when he consistently sees the field. He has all the tools to be an impact receiver, but he’s just not a priority in this offense (he was more of a luxury pick). Will he be a part of the 49ers’ future plans? I sure hope so. You don’t draft a player in the 1st round and not expect them to be around for a significant portion of their career. However, the question is when will that be? He’s a solid hold in all dynasty formats, but it’s going to stink when you have to burn a bench spot on a player that really won’t have much production. Placing him on the taxi squad is ideal, but I’d almost draft him and see what you can get in perceived value from someone else. Maybe someone is high on him and would pay a premium. This isn’t recommended, but it’s worth exploring.
Conclusion
Essentially, stay away from Pearsall in all redraft league formats. I don’t even know if I would take a flier on him towards the end of the draft unless there is truly nothing better on the board. The only way that he is contributing this year is if Aiyuk is traded or another player (or multiple players) gets injured and he’s forced on the field. For dynasty leagues, he’s a hold for me at this current juncture. Will I be looking to see if someone wants to pay a premium for him for what he could be? Sure. Could I miss out on him becoming a really solid player if I do that? Absolutely. Depending on your team, that’s the choice. For a win-now team, trade him. If you’re rebuilding, you could do much worse than Pearsall as your future #2 receiver.
