The 49ers are heading into 2026 with the kind of offseason buzz that can make it easy to dream big. But that’s exactly when disappointment usually sneaks in, and a few names on this roster already look like they could leave fans wanting more.
Mike Evans is the biggest swing. On paper, he still reads like one of the league’s elite receivers and the kind of addition that changes everything.
In reality, the body of work from the last two seasons tells a different story. Evans missed three games, and the team had to work to get him over 1,000 yards in 2024.
Then he played only eight games in 2025, and even when he was on the field, he averaged 46 yards per game. That was far below his previous career low of 62 yards per game.
The age, the injuries, and the decline all point in the same direction: he could be the player who disappoints most.
Greenlaw is another one worth watching closely. When the 49ers let him go, it looked like the smart call.
The thinking was simple enough: anybody can line up next to Fred Warner, and San Francisco didn’t need to spend money there coming off Greenlaw’s injury. Denver quickly seemed to confirm that view.
Greenlaw wasn’t healthy, dealt with more injuries, had an incident that led to a suspension, and looked a step slow. Now the 49ers are bringing him back, and they may end up finding out they were right the first time.
Brown fits a different kind of concern. He can look good in practice and pop in short bursts, but over a longer stretch the same issue always comes back.
The 49ers keep searching for new names to push him down the depth chart for a reason, and this season could follow that familiar pattern. He may have his moments, but by the end of the year, the team may be ready to move on.
West is in a tricky spot as well. He’s entering his second NFL season, but there’s a real chance he gets squeezed out of the rotation.
Rookie Gracen Halton brings more explosion, and rookie UDFA James Thompson flashed more during the preseason. Both were Raheem Morris additions, while West came in as a Robert Saleh pick.
That difference in backing could matter if the numbers start tightening.
Then there’s Kittle, whose name still carries plenty of excitement, but the warning signs are there. He’s returning from an Achilles injury, and while the reports are positive, he’ll be 33 years old.
He also missed time before the Achilles injury. The concern is simple: the player who plays with reckless energy may be available in Week 1, but he might not quite be the same old Kittle.
In Other News...
Rams Face An Early Melbourne Test They Really Didnt Need
Nick Bosas trip to Melbourne with the 49ers added another layer to an already unusual opening week for San Francisco, and it also put a spotlight on just how different the Rams side of the setup is shaping up to be. Bosa, who recently got back on the practice field for the first time since tearing his ACL, has been cleared for Week 1, giving the 49ers a major boost as they prepare for a regular-season opener far from home against a division rival.
For Bosa, the travel itself is part of the story because he has spent months working through the recovery process and now has to reset for a game on the other side of the world. He also made clear he sees a challenge for Los Angeles, which is planning to arrive in Melbourne just a day before kickoff, a turnaround that could make an already difficult opener even more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Have One Receiver Question They Can't Ignore
San Franciscos receiver room has gone from a position of strength to a real offseason concern, with injuries stacking up around Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk and leaving the 49ers looking thinner than expected as they head toward the 2026 season. For a team that has leaned on explosive pass-catching talent to keep its offense on schedule, the current depth chart now looks like an area that needs attention, not just monitoring.
One name already circulating in the discussion is Buffalos Keon Coleman, a young receiver who has not yet carved out a major role with the Bills. A trade would fit the kind of swing the 49ers have not been shy about exploring when they think a roster can be strengthened, but for now it remains only a possibility, with no move officially on the books and the uncertainty around the receiver group still hanging over the rest of the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Evans Debut Leaves 49ers With A Tough Week 1 Call
The 49ers got to Australia a week early to settle in for their Week 1 meeting with the Rams, and the extra time has also sharpened the attention on Mike Evans. The recent free agent signing has missed significant training camp time because of injuries, but he is expected to be available when the season opens, giving San Francisco one more moving part to sort through before the first snap.
How the 49ers deploy him is the real question. With so much time lost in camp, there is a natural case for easing Evans in with limited snaps and a lighter load, especially if the team wants to be careful with his health, but there is also a clear appeal to making him a more prominent piece of the offense right away. However the staff handles it, Evans gives the 49ers a Week 1 decision that is about more than just availability. [Read more 🡒]