Who Will be the 49ers' No. 3 Wide Receiver to Start the Season?

acob Cowing has a great chance to be No. 3 wide receiver in Week 1.

Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jacob Cowing (19) makes a catch for a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

When Brandon Aiyuk returns from his knee injury, the 49ers will have an intriguing trio of wide receivers that features him, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall.

But Aiyuk might not return until midseason. That's why the 49ers signed veteran wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. He's supposed to be the No. 3 receiver until Aiyuk returns. He played the past two seasons with the Rams, so he's familiar with the 49ers' offensive system. That means he can get on the field right away.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, Robinson most likely will be suspended for the first few games of the season because he was arrested for a DUI before the 49ers signed him. So who will fill in for Robinson while he's out?

The 49ers could go with rookie fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins, but head coach Kyle Shanahan usually prefers not to start rookie wide receivers. They typically take a full season to learn his scheme, and he doesn't like playing players who don't know his terminology by heart.

That's why second-year wide receiver Jacob Cowing has a great chance to be No. 3 wide receiver in Week 1. He should know the offense much better than Watkins knows it. And that should give Cowing a huge advantage.

Last season, Cowing struggled to get on the field. But when they gave him an opportunity to catch a pass, he usually came down with it. He's a legitimate deep threat who could be dangerous on a team with a quarterback that has a big arm.

It remains to be seen if Cowing is a good fit with Brock Purdy. We'll find out in OTAs this week.