Ricky Pearsall Injury Update: When Can Fantasy Managers Expect the 49ers WR Back?

Last weekend saw San Francisco 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall involved in a terrifying incident in which he was shot through the chest. Fortunately, Pearsall was not badly harmed and was back with the team just a few days later.

The young WR will naturally miss some time, but how soon could we expect to see him back on the field?

Let’s examine the latest injury update to get a rough timeframe for Pearsall’s return, and what we can expect when he does return.

The Latest on Ricky Pearsall’s Health

Pearsall has been placed on the NFI list after being shot during a robbery attempt over the weekend.

Miraculously, Pearsall was released from the hospital the following day and was back at the team facilities on Tuesday.

Pearsall is officially ruled out for the first four weeks after being placed on the NFI list, but general manager John Lynch told reporters that the expectation is that he will play at some point this year.

If you have an IR spot, Persall is a solid option to stash. If Brandon Aiyuk were to get hurt, Pearsall could see somewhere in the 5-10 targets per game region later in the year, which would be a valuable role for fantasy purposes.

Pearsall’s Fantasy Outlook

Pearsall was the 31st pick by the 49ers in last April’s NFL Draft, coming after a productive collegiate career at Arizona State and Florida. In his two seasons with the Gators (2022-23), Pearsall combined to record 98 receptions for 1,626 yards and nine touchdown catches. He also averaged nearly 17 yards a reception with Florida (16.6).

Over the course of five collegiate seasons — three at Arizona State, two at Florida — Pearsall accumulated 159 receptions for over 2,420 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns from scrimmage (14 receiving, 5 rushing).

In all, Pearsall averaged almost 15 yards per touch from scrimmage (14.9) over his five-season career in college, including 16.5 yards per touch in his two seasons with the Gators.

And he displayed the ability to show up in big games. Last season, Pearsall caught seven passes for 103 yards against LSU and had six receptions for 99 yards against Georgia. And in 2022 vs. Florida State, Pearsall finished with five catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns.

On paper, the 49ers appear loaded offensively. They have an elite quarterback (Brock Purdy), the league’s No. 1 running back (Christian McCaffrey), one of the NFL’s premier tight ends (George Kittle), and explosive wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

So, where will the opportunities come for Pearsall as a rookie backup when he returns, especially one that did not play in any preseason games due to a shoulder injury?

When Pearsall returns to the 49ers, he is going to have missed a lot of practice. He did manage to practice a little during the offseason but will likely need plenty of ramp-up time. Right now, he is not worth more than a last-round pick in redraft leagues, and even then, it is not a slam dunk he should be selected.

Among the other IR stashes, Pearsall sits behind Nick Chubb, Jonathon Brooks, and T.J. Hockenson. Chubb and Brooks have huge ceilings, while Hockenson has the positional value of being a potential top-10 tight end when he returns.

Positional value also benefits New Orleans Saints’ RB Kendre Miller, but it is 50-50 over who you should stash. Pearsall does sit just above Keaton Mitchell, who could struggle to be back before the fantasy playoffs.

– Michael Freer, Fantasy Football Analyst