The 49ers needed help in a hurry when their receiving depth got thinner, and Jordan Watkins answered the call in a big way against Arizona.
With Mike Evans leaving the game because of a rib/oblique injury and not returning, Watkins was one of the players San Francisco turned to for support. He made the most of the chance, catching two passes for 60 yards on only two targets in the 36-30 win over the Cardinals in Week 3. His longest grab went for 34 yards.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t hide how much he liked what he saw from the second-year receiver.
"I was really pumped for Watkins," Shanahan said. "That was such a big seam route that he ran on third down and he almost looked like he was going to break those tackles and score.
I thought he looked real impressive on it. Then at the end of the second quarter, he was the reason we got three points there on that 57-yard field goal right before the half.”
Watkins, 24, arrived in San Francisco as a fourth-round pick in 2025. His rookie season was quiet: two catches for 26 yards across four games, with injuries part of the story early in his career.
For Watkins, the chance to step into a larger role wasn’t something he was going to wait around for.
"I'm a competitor at heart," he said. "To be on the sidelines in sweats, to me, that's not being able to compete."
Shanahan said the team should have a better read on Monday about how long Evans could be sidelined. If the injury keeps him out for a while, Watkins could be in line for a much heavier workload while the rest of the receiver room works back to full strength.
In Other News...
Fred Warner May Have Created A Rivalry Problem For The 49ers
Fred Warners postgame comments after the 49ers close win over the Arizona Cardinals added a little edge to a division race that already has plenty of it. The veteran linebacker said the earlier meetings were not true NFL ball because starters were sitting out in the fourth quarter, a remark that was really about the competitive feel of those games rather than a direct shot at anyone in particular.
Even so, the line has a way of landing differently when a division rival is involved, especially with the Los Angeles Rams dealing with their own adversity this season. If the Rams take it as a slight, Warner may have given them a little extra fuel, and the 49ers will find out soon enough whether a passing comment turns into something bigger on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Tyreek Hill Is Back On The Radar For Banged-Up 49ers
Tyreek Hill is back in the conversation after posting on social media that he is close to returning to work, a notable update for a receiver still working back from a severe knee injury. Around the league, that kind of message tends to spark instant speculation, and it lands especially hard for the 49ers, who have been hit by a string of wide receiver injuries this season.
San Franciscos need at the position has only grown with the recent rib injury to Mike Evans adding to the teams already banged-up receiving group. Hill has naturally become a name to watch, but for now the interest remains just that, with no official contact or deal reported as the 49ers and other teams monitor his recovery. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Purdy's Hot Start Is About To Face A Different Test
Brock Purdys early-season surge has drawn plenty of notice around the league, with Dan Orlovsky and Pat McAfee both publicly praising the 49ers quarterback and putting him in the early MVP conversation. The numbers have backed up the buzz, as Purdy has been near the top of the league in completion rate, touchdowns and touchdown-to-interception ratio while guiding San Francisco through a fast start.
The next step in evaluating just how real this run is may come this week, when the 49ers face the Broncos. Some of Purdys early opponents have not exactly presented elite defenses, so Denver offers a different kind of measuring stick for San Franciscos offense and its quarterback, who will be asked to keep the same rhythm against a sturdier test. [Read more 🡒]