Who Should I Start? Kendrick Bourne or Luke McCaffrey

Tuesday, September 16, 11:41 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne operated as the team's No. 3 receiver in Week 2, just five days after signing with the team. In San Francisco's 26-21 win over New Orleans, Bourne caught all three of his targets for 32 receiving yards. His production expectedly lagged behind Jauan Jennings (ankle) and Ricky Pearsall, but he outsnapped Marques Valdez-Scantling 33 to eight. This is Bourne's second stint with the 49ers, the team that signed him as a rookie in 2017. After hitting free agency in 2021, Bourne signed with the Patriots and spent three years there with Mac Jones as his quarterback. Jones is under center for San Francisco while Brock Purdy (toe/shoulder) recovers from multiple injuries. With Jennings now nursing an ankle injury sustained on Sunday, Bourne may have added relevance in the 49ers' Week 3 appointment with the Arizona Cardinals.

Saturday, August 23, 11:41 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey racked up five receptions for 23 yards in a 30-3 loss against Baltimore in the team's final preseason game. McCaffrey rounded out the preseason with his most productive outing, catching multiple balls underneath and generating some yards after the catch. He was also used as a blocker on the punt return team, which speaks to his special-teams value but hardly signals trust in him as an offensive contributor. It hasn't been the most encouraging training camp for the second-year wideout, as he's yet to emerge with star receiver Terry McLaurin not practicing along with Noah Brown. He looks to be firmly behind those two, Deebo Samuel and Jaylin Lane, in the pecking order for consistent routes.