Should I Start Christian Kirk?

Thursday, October 15, 11:37 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf) had his 21-day practice window opened Thursday, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, moving him closer to making his debut with the team. Kirk has been on injured reserve since the start of the season after straining his calf during training camp in July. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated earlier this week that Kirk was unlikely to resume practicing, making Thursday's development an encouraging sign. The 29-year-old caught 28 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 games with Houston last season, then added 10 receptions for 164 yards and two scores during the playoffs. His potential return comes at a welcome time for San Francisco, which expects Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) to miss multiple games and still has Ricky Pearsall (knee) on injured reserve. Mike Evans remains the team's top receiving option, while Brandin Cooks is expected to handle additional work during Samuel's absence. Kirk could eventually factor into the receiving rotation, but he still needs to be activated from injured reserve. His availability for Monday's Week 6 matchup against Washington remains uncertain, making him a speculative fantasy option for now.