49ers' Training Camp Injuries Are Crushing the Fantasy Football Value of Many Players

The substation theory is being fueled with countless injuries to key 49ers players on offense.

Aug 3, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) during training camp at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

49ers Training Camp has been in turmoil thus far. The team has yet to take the field for its first preseason game, and it is dealing with countless injuries that plague its roster. The team is not escaping the sensational conspiracy theories. As for our team at Fantasy Sports On SI, we must do our due diligence and weigh the fantasy football impact of the key ailments at hand.

Ricky Pearsall Out for the Season

The 49ers have lost Pearsall before the season could even begin. His PCL injury did not heal well, and he will now wait until 2027 for any possible relevance. The key beneficiary of this? Rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling.

Ever since the 49ers began training camp, there has been endless praise revolving around the Ole Miss product. Stribling already appears poised to outpace Christian Kirk as the WR2 for volume. As for Mike Evans being competition, he is not. The veteran wideout will play a specific role, which is heavily that of being a red zone target.

Our projections find Stribling rising the ranks with a target share projection of 12-14%. Even with the signing of Deebo Samuel, he should be mildly unthreatened. Samuel's return to San Francisco is expected to be in a specific role. One in which Samuel runs closer to the line of scrimmage; a Swiss Army knife.

Stribling must be stashed, especially in dynasty fantasy football formats in which the 49ers could have him as their, where long-term WR1 if all goes well. He is currently our WR66 in PPR formats.

George Kittle Remains on the PUP List

There isn't much to worry about with Kittle. He remains on the PUP list, but Kittle is expected to return for Week 1. In fact, Kittle looked fantastic in the video below.

This is by far the best I’ve seen George Kittle move this off-season.
Saw a video a few days ago that made me slightly concerned on burst but it was from far away.
This one alleviates my concern. Slight stutter step off R cut, but not bad. pic.twitter.com/brbizSEDIa

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 6, 2026

A torn Achilles does generally require 9-12 months of recovery for an NFL player. Kittle is currently only 7 months deep after his January rupture. If Kittle doesn't play Week 1, there is a strong consensus that he may return in Week 2 or 3.

Our projections still have high hopes for Kittle. He is our PPR TE15 and Standard-Scoring TE12. Kittle is fractions of a point per game behind players like Harold Fannin Jr., Sam LaPorta, and Travis Kelce.

Mike Evans Strains Quadricep

Evans strained his quad the other day and will now miss a bit of practice. It is not viewed as a big issue, and Evans will have no problem being ready to suit up for Week 1.

Where we do err is in our caution regarding Evans's age. This is not a prime, 2021 Super Bowl-level Evans. He is 32 years old, worn and torn, and with an array of injuries in his history. This video can be deceiving, given it is practice and not at 100%. However, Evans does not look like his old self either.

It is another promotion to De'Zhaun Stribling, in which we foresee Evans as a shallower WR1 with about 20% of the 49ers' receiving-yard share.

Christian Kirk Has a Calf Strain

A Grade 2 calf strain would cause big issues for Kirk, which would demand a player miss 6-8 weeks. The good news is that Kirk is already working lightly on the side at 49ers. It appears the strain is not the worst iteration. He trends towards being good-to-go and ranks as our WR72 in PPR formats.

Jordan James Breaks His Ribs

The 49ers' RB2 had his ribs broken, said to have been a result of a Fred Warner attempt at punching the ball out of his hands.

A rib fracture is an ordeal that will take weeks to heal, depending on the severity. Nonetheless, James will be out until late August. While this could raise Rookie's valuation, it could also boost Kaelon Black, as he also has his own injury; however, he could also be listed below.

A 49ers' handcuff to Christian McCaffrey will be of huge value, so let's keep a close eye on the 49ers' backup situation in San Francisco.

Kaelon Black Strains Adductor

The injuries keep hitting, and this one is to the rookie, Kaelon Black. His adductor strain will take at least one week to return from. The team, of course, will take this carefully, as they are without James, and they really need Black to be a healthy go for Week 1.

The good news is that Black will almost certainly be good to go for Week 1. If James remains out, Black will be the McCaffrey handcuff. He may not look back, owning the job all season long.

The projection on Black is very volatile considering the uncertainty in the 49ers' backfield. If James and Black were both healthy, Black would rank around RB60 in fantasy football.