The San Francisco 49ers‘ wide receiver room has dealt with injury after injury throughout the 2024 NFL season. Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season due to a knee injury, Jauan Jennings has missed the last two games with a hip issue, Deebo Samuel Jr. recently dealt with a wrist injury and pneumonia, and Ricky Pearsall missed the first five games of the season after getting shot during an attempted robbery.
The 49ers could certainly use Jennings back in the lineup, especially with Aiyuk sidelined long-term. San Francisco is currently on bye, which is great timing for Jennings’ recovery, but will he be able to play in Week 10 when the 49ers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
What Is Jauan Jennings’ Injury?
Jennings is dealing with a hip injury, but head coach Kyle Shanahan refused to give any specifics about what he’s battling.
However, he did say that Jennings does not have a hip pointer.
Prior to the 49ers’ Week 7 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Shanahan described Jennings as “close” to playing and said he hopes to get him back next week.
However, as Grant Cohn of SI reported, Jennings wasn’t close to playing in Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. He didn’t practice all week, and “he was too injured even to jog on the side field with the other injured players.”
Will Jennings Play in Week 9?
No, the 49ers are on bye this week, but the hope is that he can return in Week 10 when San Francisco faces Tampa Bay.
However, Cohn is worried that “Jennings’ hip injury clearly is worse than the 49ers have let on.”
Cohn notes that Jennings could be back in Week 10 against the Bucs, or he could be out for the remainder of the year. “Considering how often the 49ers have reported incorrect or incomplete injury information, nothing would surprise me,” Cohn writes.
Cohn has a point. After all, Christian McCaffrey went from day-to-day with a minor calf strain to missing the first nine weeks of the season with Achilles tendinitis in both legs.
Once the 49ers resume practicing, keep an eye on the practice reports to see if Jennings is able to get in at least a limited session, as that would be a huge step in the right direction. Then, be sure to check the 49ers’ injury report next Friday to see if he has an injury designation against the Buccaneers.
How Might Jennings’ Absence Impact the 49ers if Ruled Out?
Jennings’ return to the lineup will be a big deal to San Francisco, as he’s a valuable contributor to the 49ers’ offense. Also, he’s expected to take on an increased role during the second half of the season with Aiyuk out for the year.
In six games, Jennings has 25 catches for 404 yards and three touchdowns, including his dominant Week 3 performance when he recorded 11 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams.
A career day for JJ. Watch all 11 Jauan Jennings catches from his 175-yard, 3-TD game.
Next up, #NEvsSF on FOX pic.twitter.com/rtCd7cdfJH
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 23, 2024
If the 49ers are without Jennings, they’ll lean on Samuel and Pearsall at wide receiver. Also, star tight end George Kittle will continue to be a major part of the passing attack. After all, Kittle is leading the team in receiving yards (503) and receiving touchdowns (six).
After Samuel, Jennings, and Pearsall, the 49ers’ remaining wide receivers are Jacob Cowing, Chris Conley, and Ronnie Bell.
From a fantasy standpoint, Jennings has been a popular waiver wire addition after Aiyuk’s injury. Jennings finished as fantasy’s WR1 after his Week 3 explosion. While that performance has certainly bolstered his year-long stats, he’s been an effective receiver outside of that game.
Jennings ranks sixth in the NFL in yards per route run (2.58), which is well above the league-wide WR average (1.59).
However, Jennings might be a better real-life football player than he is a fantasy weapon. He’s created consistent separation this season while remaining one of the NFL’s best run-blocking wideouts, but we’ll see if his production translates to fantasy points.