Should I Start Ricky Pearsall?

Wednesday, July 29, 2:50 PM

Updating a previous report, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) missed Wednesday's training camp practice with swelling in his right knee, and The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows report that he might now be looking at surgery. Pearsall injured his PCL in the same knee in Week 4 of last year, which forced him to miss six games. The 25-year-old was bothered by the same knee, at times when he returned to close out the 2025 season, too. Pearsall finished with 36 receptions for 528 yards and zero touchdowns on 53 targets in just nine starts. The former 31st overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida only played in 11 games as a rookie due to injury, and he could be looking at starting the 2026 regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list or Injured Reserve, which would obviously tank his fantasy football value going into his third year in the NFL. The 49ers are concerned, and fantasy managers should be as well. If Pearsall requires knee surgery, rookie second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling would be the favorite for WR3 duties in San Fran behind Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.