Jauan Jennings and the San Francisco 49ers suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. The 49ers lost twice on Sunday as superstar wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. sustained a calf strain and is expected to miss multiple weeks as a result.
With Samuel missing time, Jennings and the rest of the 49ers’ wide receiver group need to step up and help deliver a potent offense in San Francisco.
The veteran received a two-year, $15 million deal this offseason. The organization will be leaning on Jennings to elevate his game and help soften the blow of losing one of the most versatile players in the NFL.
Can Jennings elevate his game enough for the 49ers? The better question is whether he is useable in fantasy football enough to warrant a waiver wire selection this week before Week 3.
Jennings will be available in most leagues, as he is only rostered in 6% of leagues in Sleeper at the moment. Let us help you identify whether he can elevate your rosters this fantasy football season.
Jauan Jennings’ Fantasy Outlook for the Remainder of the 2024 Season
To understand what Jennings will provide, we must look at his production alongside Samuel’s.
Samuel has run 65 routes, which is the 29th-best in the NFL. Jennings has run the 56th-most routes in the NFL with 48.
Jennings can also help the 49ers stretch the field. According to Trumedia, his 14.4 yards per reception are the 23rd best in the NFL, ranking even higher than Samuel.
Jennings will not provide the Swiss Army Knife talent like Samuel. However, he will provide a better air yard per target for this offense. Jennings is 21st overall in the NFL with 12.11 air yards per target.
More: 49ers WR Deebo Samuel strained his calf Sunday and is expected to miss a couple weeks, per HC Kyle Shanahan.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2024
Jennings can also provide us with a sure-handed approach in the offense, which is why we believe he will see more playing time over explosive rookie Jacob Cowing. Jennings’ 77.8% reception rate is 16th-best for wide receivers in 2024.
With two superstars out of the lineup for San Francisco, the offense will need to be hyper-efficient to compensate for the lack of playmaking skills on the field.
Should Jennings Be Added on the Fantasy Waiver Wire in Week 3?
Although Jennings is a veteran who was paid this offseason, we will look elsewhere to elevate our rosters in Week 3.
The issue surrounding Jennings is that we can’t be confident that he is the most robust play on the 49ers, with Cowings’ explosive acceleration and above-average route running. If Cowings can show off his ability to shine in yards-after-catch situations, he will become the hot hand and the apple of Kyle Shanahan’s eye.
We could find a better wide receiver on the fantasy football waiver wire from other teams, giving us a more stable outlook for the rest of the season.
With Samuel and Christian McCaffrey missing from the offense, we should expect Brock Purdy to lean into targeting Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle.