Ricky Pearsall DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) was healthy to take part in mandatory minicamp this week, but the team is being careful with him and want him to be ready for training camp in late July. It makes sense for the Niners to play it safe with the former first-rounder since fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk (knee) likely won't be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. If the 24-year-old can return in training camp and develop chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy, he'll have plenty of opportunity as a starter in three-wide sets in his sophomore season in the NFL. Pearsall missed the first six games of his rookie season after being shot in the chest, but he was more involved late in the year with Aiyuk out. If healthy, he should make much more noise in 2025. RotoBaller has Pearsall ranked as the No. 45 fantasy wideout.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury and likely won't return to practice until training camp at the end of July, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. It doesn't sound like it's a serious injury for Pearsall, the but Niners won't take any chances with last year's first-rounder after he also dealt with hammy issues going into his rookie season in 2024. The 24-year-old pass-catcher then suffered a gunshot wound to his chest and didn't make his NFL debut until Week 7. He's expected to have a key role in the offense in his sophomore season with Deebo Samuel Sr. no longer in town and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, but Pearsall is going to lose valuable reps this offseason to gain chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy. Pearsall could still be ready for Week 1, but this news doesn't do anything to dispel the notion that Pearsall is injury-prone.

The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall could be best positioned for a breakout season in 2025. Pearsall met up with quarterback Brock Purdy to work with him this offseason after missing six games as a rookie last year after being shot on Aug. 31. He also missed most of training camp with hamstring and shoulder injuries. Brandon Aiyuk (knee) could miss the start of the 2025 regular season, while Demarcus Robinson could be suspended due to a DUI incident in November. The Niners still have Jauan Jennings, but Pearsall, who excels against press coverage, would also have a big role in the passing attack. Pearsall had a 141-yard outing in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions last year and could be on the rise if his chemistry with Purdy has improved. The 24-year-old should be a top-three wideout for San Fran this year.

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall followed last week's breakout game with another strong showing in Sunday's 47-24 Week 18 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. The Arizona native caught six of eight targets for 69 yards, including a six-yard touchdown grab on a contested slant pattern from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Pearsall, who started his 49ers career on a terrifying note -- being shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt -- had an up-and-down year once he debuted in Week 7. Pearsall produced four fantasy-useful performances in 2024 but seven in which he was held below six half-PPR points. With momentum and the validation of his first-round pedigree this season, Pearsall could be an intriguing late-round fantasy pick in 2025 depending on the health of Brandon Aiyuk's knee, and if Pearsall can move past Jauan Jennings and/or Deebo Samuel Sr. in the 49ers' hierarchy.

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (illness, chest) has been removed from the injury report and will try to duplicate his Week 17 breakout in a Week 18 matchup in Arizona against the Cardinals. The 2024 first-round selection was projected in most places as a WR6 or WR7 last week against Detroit but exploded with eight receptions of 10 targets for 141 yards and a touchdown. He added two carries for six yards and even threw one incomplete pass. Pearsall's potential ascendency could face a roadblock on Sunday, as he'll be catching his passes from backup Joshua Dobbs after Brock Purdy (right elbow) was ruled out. On the other hand, Deebo Samuel Sr. (rib, wrist) is also out, perhaps clearing the way for more targets. Consensus rankings have Pearsall just a few slots behind wideout Jauan Jennings given the three-straight zeroes that Pearsall produced following the last time he surged with 15.3 half-PPR points in Week 10. Arizona is the NFL's 10th-toughest matchup for fantasy wideouts. Consider Pearsall a boom/bust WR3 for the final game of his rookie campaign.