Team news: San Francisco 49ers | Page 9

49ers placed WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list.

Related Players: Jauan Jennings, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing

Aiyuk was expected, but Pearsall seems to be dealing with an undisclosed injury. We'll keep an eye on things, but we still expect the latter to be ready for Week 1. Regardless, Jennings continues to creep up rankings dispite his current contract dispute and finds himself as a borderline WR2/3 in our rankings, while Pearsall hovers in the WR4 range.

ESPN sources: A Dallas County judge just sentenced Chiefs WR Rashee Rice to five years probation and 30 days of jail time that can be served during those five years stemming for his role in a multi-car crash in Dallas during the 2024 offseason.

Now that the judge has ruled, the NFL can expedite its disciplinary process and Rice is likely to receive a multi-game suspension.

Related Players: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Skyy Moore, Jalen Royals, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce, Noah Gray

We'll keep an eye on things to determine whether a "multi-game suspension" equates to two, four, or six, but regardless, it would be an obvious blow to his fantasy bottom line if that comes in 2025. If/when that decision comes down, it would open up the middle of the field for Kelce, where the two have operated in recent history. If Rice's ADP drops precipitously over a two-game suspension in the middle of the season, he'll start to be an even bigger target in drafts.

49ers WR Jauan Jennings, who is scheduled to make $7.5 million this season in the final year of his deal, wants a new contract or a trade, per sources.

49ers extended Jennings’ deal last year, but that does not change how Jennings feels about this year.

Related Players: Ricky Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing

This is a good time for a power move from Jennings, as we are still unclear exactly how long Aiyuk will be out as he recovers from his ACL & MCL injuries. We'll keep an eye on this, but if Jennings misses time or does happen to find himself on another team, former first-rounder Ricky Pearsall would be flying up rankings and draft boards.

The 49ers and QB Brock Purdy agreed to terms on a five-year, $265 million contract extension.

Purdy gets $181M in total guarantees, including $165.05M in the first three new years of a deal that runs through 2030.

Related Players: Mac Jones

George Kittle, and now, Purdy have received huge extensions this offseason, locking in two ultra-important pieces of their offense. Purdy should continue to be considered a fringe QB1/2 for fantasy purposes.

George Kittle and the 49ers have agreed to a four-year, $76.4 million extension.

The $19.1 million AAV is a record at the tight end position.

Related Players: Luke Farrell, Brayden Willis

It was rumored that the 49ers might be interested in grabbing a guy near the top of the NFL Draft, but when that didn't come to fruition, the next logical step was locking in their stud tight end. Kittle will remain a focal point of the offense and stays put as a top-3 fantasy option.

At the league meeting this week, 49ers GM John Lynch said he expected WR Brandon Aiyuk to stick in 2025. His 2026 option-bonus guarantee triggered yesterday. He’s owed $24.875m this year, $27m in ’26. The $76m that was effectively guaranteed at signing is now fully guaranteed.

Related Players: Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing

This is likely the best case sceanrio for the 49ers and Brock Purdy's fantasy aspirations, but it's hard to say if it's a positive for Aiyuk. That would have all depended on his eventual landing spot, but it seems like we'll have to wait at least one more year for that shoe to drop. Consider the vet somewhere in the back-end WR3 range for now, with Jennings a tier or two above that.

Wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, a 2024 second-round pick out of Washington who had a rocky rookie season (12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs), is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Vrabel said he has been excited about how Polk has approached his rehabilitation, working on his lower-body strength.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins

There's no timetable for recovery here, but Polk certainly didn't need any setbacks after catching only 38.7% of his 31 targets as a 2024 rookie. He should be considered more of a Dynasty hold than a redraft option, particularly with the Patriots tied to a number of options in the '25 Draft class.

Free-agent WR Stefon Diggs reached agreement on a three-year, $69 million deal including $26 million guaranteed with the New England Patriots.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker

This is an incredible injection of talent to what is arguably the worst WR room in the NFL. Diggs should be immediately considered somewhere in the WR3 range, with (hopefully) more weapons for Drake Maye coming in the next month.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is officially back with KC after catching 18 passes for 231 yards and two TDs in 2024.

He’ll have an entire offseason with the Chiefs this go-around after signing with KC just days before the opener last year.

Related Players: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore

It looks like the Chiefs will be running it back with their WR room from 2024, after also re-signing Hollywood Brown to a one-year deal during this free agency cycle. The pass-catching group was nothing to write home about last season, but to be fair, there were plenty of injuries that prevented us from seeing exactly how it would work out. We could see a bit of a Patrick Mahomes revenge tour this season, which makes Smith-Schuster a little more interesting as a bye-week plug-in.

Former Rams WR Demarcus Robinson is signing a 2-year, $9.5 million deal, including $6M fully guaranteed, with the 49ers.

Related Players: Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings

Robinson profiles as a rotational option on the current depth chart, but anymore movement (such as an Aiyuk trade) would push him more into a No. 3 role. He's coming off a nice 31-505-7 season, but should remain on the outskirts of the fantasy radar for now.