Who Should I Start? Isaiah Neyor or Jordan Watkins

Friday, July 4, 4:00 PM

In a recent appearance on the 'Bussin' with the Boys' podcast, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle sang the praises of rookie wide receiver Isaiah Neyor. "He's a freak. He was running a route, and he got nine and a half yards in two strides. It was insane," said Kittle. "We watched it ten times in the tight end room. We were like 'how is he doing this?' At the bare minimum, he should make the practice squad. He's a freak." Neyor signed with the 49ers back in April as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska, and while his college stats won't blow you away, the 24-year-old's athleticism is enough to do so (99th percentile speed score). It won't be easy to find playing time in a crowded room of viable pass-catchers, but the 6-foot-4 rookie should undoubtedly be on fantasy managers' radars in dynasty leagues.

Friday, June 13, 12:31 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins hasn't been perfect in offseason workouts this spring, but The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that he has stood out in the way that Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) did a year ago. He took a number of snaps with the first-team offense with Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jauan Jennings (calf) sidelined, showcasing his speed and fluidity in routes. Watkins doesn't break stride when catching the ball, which makes him an asset on crossing routes that are such a big part of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. The 23-year-old also has thick legs and a big lower body, which should help him break tackles and pick up yards after the catch. Watkins had nine total touchdowns at Ole Miss in 2024, and while he probably won't get on the field much in his rookie season, he could be an immediate factor on special teams.