Jordan Watkins has gone from a healthy scratch in Week 1 to a player the 49ers sound increasingly committed to keeping on the field.
His rise hasn’t come from flash alone. Early in the season, physicality was holding him back, and he opened the year inactive.
Since then, though, Watkins has started to round out his game, especially as a blocker. In Week 9, with the wide receiver room banged up, he logged 52 snaps - 17 more than any other 49ers wideout.
That kind of usage tells you plenty. On a team that asks receivers to do more than run routes, Watkins has earned trust by embracing the dirty work. Of those 52 snaps against the Raiders, 28 came on running downs, a clear sign Kyle Shanahan is leaning on him in situations that demand toughness and discipline.
General manager John Lynch said the 49ers have been encouraged by the way Watkins has handled the process. Lynch described the team’s early belief in him after bringing him over from Ole Miss and said Watkins had to push through injuries there as well. He also pointed to the frustration Watkins had to work through before finding his role.
“He really stuck it out. We had a lot of high hopes for him when we brought him from Ole Miss.
I remember Kyle and I being on the phone with Lane Kiffin, who was his coach there and saying, ‘Man, we see outstanding talent. Tell us about this young man.’
You know he was hampered a bit there by injuries at Ole Miss, but he’s got a lot of juice. I think what we’ve learned, and it’s been a little bit of a process.”
Lynch said Watkins could have taken a different path when things weren’t immediately clicking, but instead kept grinding. A conversation with Shanahan helped sharpen the focus on what would actually get him on the field.
“He did have a conversation with Kyle. And Kyle said, ‘Man, it’s nothing that you’re not doing.
Just focus on the little stuff. Everyone sees the touchdown on a post.
And that was a great play. But really, what got Jordan on the field was his toughness in the run game.
And becoming that guy for us. You lose a big body in Stribling.
And Demarcus Robinson goes down. Somebody’s got to block on all these tosses we run.
Somebody’s got to block defensive ends.
That’s not very fun when you’re a smaller body. But we needed someone to do it.
Jordan, that’s the way he found his way on the field. His ability to go out there and help on special teams.”
Watkins has still been learning the full job description at wide receiver, but the growth is showing up in the numbers and in the way the staff is using him. Lynch said the rookie has responded the right way and is now making himself hard to remove from the lineup.
“So, I’m really proud of the young man. He fought his way out there.
He earned it. And not it’s starting to pay dividends for himself, and for our team, in a big way.
I’m really proud of Jordan. He grinded.
And now he’s kind of creating a niche. Everything in this league is earned.
It doesn’t always come easy. Not everybody starts and steps in on Day 1.
If you earn it, and you find a way to get yourself on the field. Then you have an opportunity.
And you can make a play. And now, it’s going to be hard to get Jordan off the field, because he’s earned that right.
So, I’m really excited and proud of him.”
The production has followed. Watkins’ 60-yard touchdown pushed him to No. 1 among all wide receivers in EPA/target, and most of his 10 catches have turned into meaningful plays for the 49ers. He has also won a surprising number of 50/50 chances over the past month, which only strengthens the case for continuing to build around him.
Lynch closed with a blunt assessment of where things stand now: “I don’t see him coming off. You play like he has been playing.
The nitty-gritty. The tough stuff.
Hank [49ers WR coach/passing game coordinator Leonard Hankerson] has a saying that I love. ‘No block, no rock.’
And he’s been doing a lot of block. He’s been doing the little stuff.
And that’ll get you on the field around here.”
In Other News...
49ers Get Deebo Boost But A Bigger Cowboys Concern Is Growing
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The bigger concern, though, is on the other side of the ball, where the secondary is suddenly dealing with a crowded injury report. Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green both missed practice, several other defensive backs were limited, and even a few key veterans on offense and defense, including Trent Williams and Dre Greenlaw, were working through new issues of their own. For a team that has leaned on depth and versatility all season, the timing of those absences is less than ideal. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Passing Game Just Got A Big Week 10 Opening
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Porter also pushed back on the contract chatter around his absence, saying the injury is the only reason he is out. From the 49ers perspective, the bigger picture is simple: Purdy is expected to play, and Dallas has shown defensive vulnerability against the run, which could force the Cowboys to pick their poison if their top corner cannot go. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Purdy Explained The Thumbs-Down That Added Edge To A Rout
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Purdy also added a little extra edge to the afternoon with a thumbs-down gesture he later framed as playful rivalry banter, the kind of small flash that can turn a comfortable win into a talking point. For San Francisco, the bigger picture is even more important now, with Dallas up next and the 49ers carrying both momentum and a defense that has been holding opponents in check while the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]