The San Francisco 49ers' success in 2025 may depend heavily on one position group. CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan recently named the 49ers' wide receiver room as one of the NFL's 10 biggest wild cards heading into the season.
"The club traded away Deebo Samuel to the Commanders this offseason, and Brandon Aiyuk -- who was paid $120 million on a four-year extension last summer -- is still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL he suffered last season," Sullivan wrote. "That leaves Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall as the top two at the position if Aiyuk misses time during the regular season."
The group's depth concerns are magnified by Jennings' contract situation and his current calf injury.
Despite those issues, Jennings and second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall are expected to open the season as the team's starters when the 49ers face the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 1.
"Jennings broke out in 2024 with 975 yards and six touchdowns last season, and Pearsall was a first-round pick in 2024," Sullivan added, "so they both are in theory of taking on the workload in a pinch to keep the offense afloat. However, there's also a world where San Francisco comes up a bit short at the position, which lowers their ceiling offensively."
Quarterback Brock Purdy, who signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension this offseason, is counting on his retooled wide receiver group, along with All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle, to help the team rebound from a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2024.
Acknowledging the need for receiver depth, the 49ers drafted Jordan Watkins in the fourth round and Junior Bergen in the seventh, while also adding veteran Demarcus Robinson. However, Robinson faces a potential three-game suspension stemming from a November 2024 DUI arrest while with the Los Angeles Rams.
Meanwhile, Aiyuk has remained engaged throughout his rehab process.
"It's been awesome," offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said Tuesday morning. "He's out there every day. He's with those guys. He's very much a part of the position group, meaning he's not just isolated, doing his rehab, and then being around the building. He's in the individual drills with them. He's on the field."
Kubiak added, "I'm real happy with B.A. right now, with where he's at. Obviously, he's doing his rehab and he's doing what he has to do to be ready to go."
If Aiyuk can return to form and Jennings stays healthy, the 49ers' wide receiver group could be more dangerous than expected. For now, as Sullivan notes, it remains as one of the team's biggest question marks heading into the new season.