The San Francisco 49ers signaled cautiously positive news on its receiving corps heading into Week 11, outlining a plan to restart practice work for Ricky Pearsall while maintaining guardrails around health and workload. The update arrives as the 49ers balance returns across the offense and evaluate timelines within a heavy injury year.
Latest Update on Ricky Pearsall’s Injury ahead of Week 11
Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday that Pearsall is expected to return to practice on Wednesday, contingent on continued progress over the next two days. He was out for six straight games with a right knee (PCL) injury sustained in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Hopefully the next two days go good, and if they do, then [Pearsall] will be back out there,” Shanahan said on the conference call, adding the receiver “had a good weekend.” Pearsall has not practiced since Week 4; he posted 20 receptions for 327 yards through the season’s first four games before the injury.
Shanahan previously explained Pearsall could run “certain speeds” but had not yet hit normal pre‑injury speed thresholds required for clearance, emphasizing the team won’t return players until those markers are met to avoid susceptibility to reinjury. The team chose not to place Pearsall on injured reserve earlier in the season, reflecting initial expectations of a shorter timeline; Monday’s update marks the first planned reentry to practice.
Without their second-year receiver, the 49ers have managed a No. 9 overall offense, according to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric.
How Long Will Ricky Pearsall Be Out For? Anticipated Return Timeline
The 49ers haven’t yet issued a game‑status projection. Shanahan’s Monday note sets a best‑case target to resume on‑field work this week if Tuesday-Wednesday benchmarks are met. Additional reporting aligns with the 49ers’ hopeful stance that it’s practice‑first, with Week 11 availability dependent on how Pearsall responds to Wednesday and subsequent sessions.
San Francisco’s policy is to see “three aggressive practices” without limitations for returning starters at other positions. For Pearsall, the immediate checkpoint is a successful practice return rather than a game designation.
Depth and roster notes frame the decision. Aside from Pearsall, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s practice window will not open this week as he continues long‑term knee recovery. At the same time, quarterback Brock Purdy’s workload is set to increase with the club wanting a full week of aggressive work before any return.
That leaves Pearsall’s reentry as the receiving room’s near‑term variable, alongside Jauan Jennings’ and Kendrick Bourne’s expanded roles. The team will update Pearsall’s status after Wednesday’s work; until then, the anticipated return remains conditional on hitting speed/health markers during practice.