The 49ers certainly had themselves an offseason. They lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball and along the offensive line, as well as moving on from Deebo Samuel, a key component to their offense. All told, they lost LG Aaron Banks, CB Charvarius Ward, WR Deebo Samuel, EDGE Leonard Floyd, CB Isaac Yiadom, RB Jordan Mason, S Talanoa Hufanga, LT Jaylon Moore, and four core special teamers: P Mitch Wishnowsky, LS Taybor Peppers, S Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and S George Odum.
So, there’s a lot of turnover from the 49ers’ end, especially since that doesn’t include the fact that two wide receivers are currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list (Brandon Aiyuk & Ricky Pearsall) and the third, Jauan Jennings, is waiting for a new contract.
Let’s dive into the new look 49ers, and their overdrafted and underdrafted players, as well as a sleeper, for fantasy football purposes!
Underdrafted:
Jauan Jennings, Wide Receiver (WR38, Pick 83 Overall)
My Ranking: WR34
Jauan Jennings will get his contract; I’m not particularly concerned about that. The 49ers have the cap space, the need, and the youth movement to support locking up Jennings to a multi-year contract after getting him back in the building last year on a contract that is not commensurate to his breakout 2024 campaign.
Due to working his way up the depth chart, an injury in week six, and getting into a fight at the beginning of week 18, Jennings played over 55% of snaps in 11 games last season. In those games, he averaged 8.1 targets, 5.5 receptions, 7.27 yards, and 0.54 touchdowns per game (138/93/1229/9 pace). He had a massive breakout game in week 3 against the Rams (12 targets, 11 receptions, 175 yards, 3 touchdowns). Even if you strip that game out, he was on a 131/83/1054/5 pace. That comes out to 219.3 PPR points, which would have been WR19 last season.
The 49ers need Jennings to have a big season if they plan on going anywhere, and they plan on going places. There is a lot of uncertainty around this wide receiver room, and Jennings is the one most likely to benefit from it; he’s a steal at WR38.
Overdrafted:
Ricky Pearsall, Wide Receiver (WR42, Pick 89 Overall)
My Ranking: WR48
Ricky Pearsall is dealing with a hamstring injury, and it was one that the 49ers initially expected him to be done with when camp opened. Unfortunately, they placed him on the PUP list to start training camp. The good news is that the 49ers can pull him off of the list at any time, the bad news is that Pearsall is going to have another unusual offseason. Granted, last season he almost died in a botched robbery, which is a tad different. But, this puts him behind the 8 ball this offseason, and it’s likely that he does not surpass Jauan Jennings as the lead target in the wide receiver room.
I specify the wide receiver room because the 49ers have a two studs outside the wide receiver room to soak up targets (Christian McCaffrey & George Kittle), and the target distribution is going to swing their way. In 2023, with a healthy CMC & Kittle, the 49ers targeted wide receivers about 56% of the time. Last year, that number jumped up to 61%. With a natural step back from the wide receivers, I don’t foresee two having huge fantasy value this season.
Unfortunately, Pearsall is the odd one out. They drafted Pearsall to fill the role that Jennings broke out in last season: a sure-handed chain mover who could bail the 49ers out of jams. Pearsall had 18 targets, 14 receptions, 210 yards, and two touchdowns in his last two games of the season, which some point to as his breakout. I don’t buy it: the 49ers and Lions went “defense optional” in week seventeen, with both Jared Goff and Brock Purdy finishing with 300 passing yards and 3 scores. In week eighteen, Jauan Jennings got a jump on his offseason by getting tossed, leaving Pearsall and Josh Dobbs to play out the string for the Niners.
I’m not saying that Pearsall doesn’t have the skills to finish top-40, I just hesitate to put my chip down on him in the top-90 picks. He has too many tides pushing against him for him to move forward as a good fantasy asset for 2025.
Sleeper:
Isaac Guerendo, Running Back (RB46, Pick 136 Overall)
My Ranking: RB53
If you believe that Christian McCaffrey is going to miss time, then he should be taken as a questionable RB1, which is where he is going (the backend of the elite tier, RB5, Pick 11). You should also pull Guerendo up your ranks, as he will fill in for Christian McCaffrey if his Achilles tendons rear their ugly heads.
Guerendo and Jordan Mason shared the running back duties last season, and Christian McCaffrey came and went in the middle of the season, so it is hard to get a bead on Guerendo’s usage, mostly because it was wildly inconsistent. But, the 49ers let Mason leave, and didn’t do anything to replace him (other than drafting a day three back, Jordan James).
But, when Guerendo had the chance to play, he dominated. Guerendo had four games last season wherein he played more than 55% of snaps (a starter’s role). In those games, he averaged 16.8 touches, 101 yards, and 0.75 touchdowns, or a 285/1717/13 pace. When they didn’t have James or McCaffrey, they turned over to Guerendo, full bore. If you think McCaffrey will miss time this year, then Guerendo is a must-draft for your fantasy football leagues.
