Who Should I Start? Jauan Jennings or Ricky Pearsall

Friday, February 13, 7:58 AM

Across 15 games in 2025, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings recorded 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 targets. With 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk (knee) sidelined for the entirety of 2025 by a knee injury, Jennings emerged as the team's WR1. The 28-year-old is now set to hit unrestricted free agency, but 49ers' general manager John Lynch recently expressed public interest in signing Jennings to a new contract. If Jennings does indeed re-sign with San Francisco, he could see an even greater role in the team's passing game in 2026. San Francisco lost star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) to a torn Achilles in the NFC Wild Card Round in early January, which means Kittle could miss a sizable chunk of the 2026 season. Additionally, 49ers WR2 Ricky Pearsall has had major difficulty staying on the field to this point in his NFL career, playing in just 20 games across his first two professional seasons. Jennings may not carry elite fantasy upside, but he's solidified himself as a reliable producer over the last two seasons in San Francisco.

Sunday, February 15, 4:31 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is trending up ahead of the NFL offseason. Fellow Niners receiver Jauan Jennings is headed for free agency, and given that his relationship with the team is rocky, it seems likely that he'll sign somewhere else. If Jennings does leave, and Brandon Aiyuk also departs as expected, that will open the door for Pearsall to step into the No. 1 receiver role. He showed the ability to handle a top role at times in 2025, but injuries prevented fantasy managers from being able to fully evaluate him. He ultimately finished his second pro season with 36 catches, 528 yards, and zero touchdowns across nine games. Because of his injury history, it might be tough for the 49ers to trust Pearsall as their No. 1 receiver. We wouldn't be surprised to see them go out and grab a top pass-catcher via trade or free agency, leaving Pearsall in the No. 2 role once again. He can absolutely still offer upside in fantasy football, though. The 49ers have a very capable offense, so Pearsall will be able to turn any workload into fantasy points. He ranks as a fringe top-36 fantasy receiver for 2026 and would jump into the top 24 if the 49ers don't bring in any competition for him.