The 49ers keep winning, but the injury list is starting to shape the next move for San Francisco.
After a 23-17 victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 6, the 49ers moved to 6-0 and stayed among the NFL’s three unbeaten teams, alongside the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings. But the bigger concern out of that game was Mike Evans going down with an Achilles injury.
Kyle Shanahan said after the game that Evans is dealing with Achilles tendinitis, and Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that the receiver’s Achilles is intact, though he’ll be out for a little while. His return timeline could depend on how things go, but he might be back after the bye if all breaks right.
That kind of injury is exactly why San Francisco should be making calls. The obvious place to start is Jacksonville, where Brian Thomas Jr. appears to be sliding out of the picture.
Thomas played zero snaps in the second half against the Texans last week, another sign that he’s being phased out of the offense. Parker Washington has emerged as the WR1 in Jacksonville, Jakobi Meyers is playing a major role, and Thomas simply isn’t getting featured. He was already mentioned in trade chatter before the season, and the way this year has unfolded has only strengthened that idea.
Through six games, Thomas has nine catches on 20 targets for 105 yards and a touchdown. Over the last two games, he hasn’t caught a pass and has seen just five targets.
For a 49ers team dealing with a battered receiver room, that kind of availability - and upside - stands out. Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson, Ricky Pearsall, and De'Zhaun Stribling are all on IR, while Deebo Samuel was inactive because of a hamstring injury. That leaves Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Brandin Cooks, and Malik Turner as the only healthy receivers.
San Francisco expects Kirk, Stribling, Robinson, Samuel, and Evans back at some point this season, but adding another explosive weapon would still make the roster stronger. Thomas has already shown what he can do when he’s featured.
His top season came as a rookie, when he posted 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns on 133 targets, with 14.7 yards per reception. In 2025, he finished with 48 catches, 707 yards, and two scores on 91 targets, again averaging 14.7 yards per catch. This season, he’s at 9 catches, 105 yards, and a touchdown on 20 targets, with 11.7 yards per reception.
The drop-off since that rookie year has been real, but the talent hasn’t disappeared. There appears to be some disconnect between Thomas and the Jaguars’ staff, and a coach like Shanahan would have a cleaner path to using him as a deep threat and maximizing what he brings.
From the outside, the 49ers look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Injuries may be the one thing that slows them down, especially at wide receiver. Even if help is coming later, the situation in Jacksonville looks like it’s headed toward a split.
That’s why John Lynch should at least find out the price. Based on the way things stand, San Francisco likely wouldn’t need to part with more than a third-round pick, and with Thomas on his rookie contract through 2027 and a club option for 2028, this could pay off well beyond this season.
In Other News...
49ers Survived A Scare Thanks To One Late Defensive Stand
A tense Monday night in Washington nearly turned into a costly slip for the 49ers, who had to sweat through a second-half surge before escaping with their unbeaten record intact. Malik Mustapha came up with the kind of defensive play that can define a close game, helping San Francisco fend off a Commanders comeback after Washington had already lost top receiver Terry McLaurin to a knee injury.
The 49ers still left the field with a 6-0 start, but the night was not clean. An apparent Achilles injury to wide receiver Mike Evans added another layer of concern to a win that required late-game poise and a key stop when Washington seemed to be closing in on the end zone. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Just Sent An Encouraging Signal On Mike Evans
The 49ers Week 6 roster moves offered a small but notable glimpse into how theyre managing the wide receiver picture, with Christian Kirk staying on injured reserve and Mike Evans still listed as questionable. San Francisco also added some immediate depth by elevating wideout Malik Turner and linebacker Jalen Graham from the practice squad, a move that gives the offense a little more insurance while the injury situation sorts itself out.
For now, the receiver room is built around Evans, Brandin Cooks, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins, with Kirk still waiting for a chance to return under his designation. The combination of the inactive status on one receiver and the extra depth additions suggests the 49ers are preparing for multiple contingencies, and Evans availability remains the headline the team is still trying to settle before game day. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Primetime Scare Put Focus On Two Receivers For Very Different Reasons
Monday night put two receivers in the spotlight for very different reasons, and neither moment had much to do with the stat sheet. Terry McLaurin was being covered one-on-one by 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir when a knee injury stopped him in his tracks, turning a routine play into a grim scene that required a medical cart and an air cast.
On the other sideline, Mike Evans was still working through his own issues while catching passes from Brock Purdy, and he also showed a little class in the aftermath by shaking hands with McLaurin. Evans later exited briefly with an Achilles issue before making it back to the locker room under his own power, a reminder that even in a primetime game, health concerns can linger long after the next snap. [Read more 🡒]