The San Francisco 49ers’ wide receiver situation has become a major concern early in the 2026 NFL season. San Francisco entered the year without Ricky Pearsall, lost rookie De’Zhaun Stribling in Week 1, and then suffered another major setback when Demarcus Robinson was carted off the field in Week 2 with a high ankle sprain. Mike Evans also left that game with a hip injury, adding to the concern surrounding the position.
Evans did start in Week 3; he even scored a touchdown, but he was injured later in the game and eventually carted off the field. The 49ers can only hope that it’s not a long-term issue.
San Francisco has already lost Pearsall and Stribling
Pearsall’s season ended before it began when the 49ers placed him on injured reserve following knee surgery. The former first-round pick was expected to have an important role in the receiving corps after returning from injuries that limited him during the 2025 season.
Stribling, meanwhile, suffered an ankle injury during the season opener against the Rams. The rookie was San Francisco’s first selection in the 2026 draft and was expected to receive significant opportunities. He is expected to miss at least a month after suffering a deltoid ankle sprain.
Then came Robinson’s injury in Week 2. Robinson had quickly moved into a prominent role following Stribling’s injury and suffered a high ankle sprain against Miami. Shanahan said high ankle sprains typically require several weeks of recovery, with Robinson a potential injured-reserve candidate.
The 49ers need their remaining receivers to step up
With Robinson unavailable and Evans dealing with this new issue, San Francisco has been forced to look deeper into its receiver room. Shanahan specifically identified Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing and KhaDarel Hodge as players who could see increased opportunities.
Evans’ rib injury may not be severe, but it was clearly serious enough and painful enough that he needed to be carted off the field on Sunday.
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