Who Should I Start? Ricky Pearsall or Travis Hunter

Tuesday, January 27, 12:58 PM

Heading into 2025, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was a popular pick to have a breakout season. However, the former first-round pick battled through a knee injury and recorded just 36 receptions for 528 yards and zero touchdowns on 53 targets across nine games played. Availability has been a consistent issue for Pearsall so far in his NFL career, as he's played in just 20 games across his first two seasons. Even when on the field, the 25-year-old has not yet emerged as a featured option in the San Francisco passing game. He's logged just 99 targets in his career, an average of fewer than five per contest. However, Pearsall will likely have an opportunity for a larger role with the 49ers in 2026. Star San Francisco tight end George Kittle (Achilles) suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the team's NFC Wild Card Round win over the Philadelphia Eagles and will likely miss time in 2026 as a result. Additionally, 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings is set to hit unrestricted free agency in mid-March after leading the team's wide receiver corps in targets in 2025. Fully buying in on Pearsall remains difficult until he proves the ability to stay healthy for an extended stretch. Still, he appears to have a clear pathway to a lead role in the San Francisco passing game in 2026.

Friday, February 13, 4:44 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars two-way player Travis Hunter (knee) is expected to be 100% healthy for Week 1 of the 2026 season this fall, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network, although his usage will change a lot. Hunter's rookie season ended early due to an LCL knee injury that required surgery, and he finished with 28 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown on 45 targets in seven games played. Wolfe reports that the Jaguars plan to use the former Heisman Trophy winner as a full-time cornerback and part-time wide receiver in 2026. In 2025, Hunter played more than double his snaps on offense than as a defensive back. Jacksonville thinks Hunter can be an elite cornerback while also being an impact player on offense, although this news is going to drastically affect his fantasy value in a negative way entering Year 2.