49ers WR2 Fantasy Trap: Why Pearsall, Kirk, and Stribling Aren't Worth the Draft Hype

Ricky Pearsall is the favorite to emerge behind Mike Evans, but history suggests correctly identifying San Francisco’s WR2 may not produce much fantasy value.

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) is penciled in as the 49ers' No. 2 WR behind Mike Evans. But is there enough offense to go around in San Francisco to whet fantasy football managers' appetites? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The debate over San Francisco’s No. 2 wide receiver is one fantasy football managers will encounter throughout draft season. Ricky Pearsall has the pedigree and current average draft position (ADP) advantage over Christian Kirk and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, but there may be a more important question than who wins the job.

How valuable is the 49ers’ WR2 role in the first place?

Mike Evans arrives as the established No. 1 after signing a three-year deal, while Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle remain major components of Brock Purdy’s passing game. That leaves Pearsall, Kirk and Stribling competing for opportunities in an offense that historically hasn’t needed massive passing volume to succeed.

Shanahan’s WR2 history isn't encouraging

The historical results help illustrate the problem.

In 2021, Deebo Samuel exploded for 1,405 receiving yards. San Francisco’s second-most productive wide receiver was Brandon Aiyuk, who finished with 56 catches for 826 yards and five touchdowns. Aiyuk became the WR1 the following season with 1,015 yards. Samuel, meanwhile, finished with just 632 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, missing time and playing in just 13 games.

Aiyuk erupted for 1,342 yards in 2023 while Samuel produced 892 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

The 49ers tend to give more to their No. 2 wideouts. In 2025, as the team's No. 1 WR, Jauan Jennings took a step back from his 2024 stats. Now, Mike Evans should be the position leader. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Samuel was an excellent fantasy asset, but treating that season as evidence that Shanahan's offense can routinely support two high-end fantasy receivers misses an important detail: Samuel also rushed for 225 yards and five touchdowns. His fantasy production wasn't coming exclusively from the WR2 receiving workload.

That distinction matters for Pearsall, who isn't likely to receive Samuel's specialized rushing role.

Even the injury-riddled 2024 season demonstrated how San Francisco distributes opportunities. Jauan Jennings led the wide receivers with 113 targets, 77 receptions and 975 yards. Samuel received 81 targets and finished with 670 yards, while Pearsall drew 46 targets and produced 400 yards.

McCaffrey and Kittle complicate matters

Calling someone San Francisco's WR2 also ignores that he may actually be the fourth option in the passing game. That was painfully obvious last season.

McCaffrey led the 2025 49ers with 129 targets, 102 receptions and 924 receiving yards. Kittle received another 69 targets in only 11 games, catching 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns.

Pearsall's season was encouraging when healthy, with 36 receptions for 528 yards in nine games, but San Francisco now adds Evans to that target distribution.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) and running back Christian McCaffrey (23) have been driving the team's offense for years. Is there room for much else? | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

There simply may not be enough volume available for Pearsall to make a substantial fantasy leap without overtaking someone ahead of him.

That's particularly concerning because Shanahan's offense has historically prioritized efficiency over feeding receivers enormous target totals. Purdy's breakout 2023 season is a perfect example: Aiyuk, Samuel, Kittle and McCaffrey all produced at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage, but none required 110 targets. Purdy's efficiency allowed multiple players to produce without creating a conventional target-hogging WR2.

Pearsall is still the bet, but is the bet worth making?

Among Pearsall, Kirk and Stribling, Pearsall remains the preferred fantasy selection. His 2025 numbers extrapolate to approximately 68 catches and 997 receiving yards over 17 games, and FantasyPros currently has him around WR44 with a PPR ADP of 101st overall.

Drafting Pearsall isn't merely a bet that he beats out Kirk, a veteran with 5,415 career receiving yards, or Stribling, whom San Francisco selected No. 33 overall after consecutive 800-yard college seasons. It's a bet that winning that competition will actually translate into a rosterable, productive asset for fantasy managers.

Evans should command a solid target share and be a dependable red-zone option. McCaffrey just led the team with 129 targets. Kittle remains one of football's most efficient receiving tight ends when healthy. And Purdy has already demonstrated that he can operate Shanahan's offense by spreading opportunities among several weapons rather than force-feeding a secondary receiver.

NASTY Route from Ricky Pearsall pic.twitter.com/IuxAXtMrzC

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) December 29, 2025

Pearsall therefore has one particularly intriguing path to smashing his ADP: becoming more than the WR2 by outplaying Evans.

At 33 years old and coming off a 2025 season in which he played only eight games, Evans isn't an untouchable obstacle despite his storied resume. Pearsall could overtake him as San Francisco's most productive wide receiver. It's not likely or even the most probable outcome, but it's possible given the 49ers blur the lines of who is their top wideout. Is that enough to stoke your interest? If Pearsall falls in your 12-team draft and can be had at a value in Round 9 or beyond, I'd take that chance.

But if Pearsall merely wins the WR2 battle everyone is drafting him to win, fantasy managers may discover that correctly identifying the 49ers' WR2 wasn't much of a prize at all, as he'd only amount to a bye-week fill-in.