The San Francisco 49ers had high hopes for Ricky Pearsall last season.
Unfortunately, he starred in one of the worst and most talked-about incidents of the offseason.
He survived being shot in the chest, and while he still managed to make his season debut, it clearly took a toll on his development.
Now, despite also missing some time early in the offseason with a hamstring injury, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports believes he’s the best wide receiver in the Niners’ WR room right now (via Yahoo Fantasy Sports).
Ricky Pearsall has looked like “the best 49ers wide receiver” during the time he’s been on the field, per @MaioccoNBCS.
Pearsall’s fantasy stock 📈 pic.twitter.com/jXPZpFIust
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) August 2, 2025
The Niners are dealing with some trouble in that regard.
Star WR Brandon Aiyuk will most likely miss some time to begin the season as he continues to recover from a season-ending ACL injury.
Demarcus Robinson, on the other hand, is expected to be suspended over a DUI.
That leaves Pearsall and Jauan Jennings atop the depth chart, and while Jennings has already made a name for himself around the league for his physicality, Pearsall is a speedy pass-catcher with perennial big-play potential.
He showed glimpses of great play against man coverage, and he broke out late in the season.
Pearsall finished his rookie campaign with 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per reception.
Brock Purdy just got paid, and he will now be in the spotlight and under a lot of pressure to prove that he was worthy of such a massive raise.
Developing chemistry with Pearsall will be crucial for that, and hopefully, he’ll stay healthy this season.
