The 49ers may be heading into Monday night without one of their biggest offensive weapons.
Mike Evans is officially questionable for San Francisco’s Week 6 matchup against the Washington Commanders, with the team listing rib and Achilles injuries. Kyle Shanahan said this week that Evans is also dealing with Achilles soreness, and the veteran receiver did not practice at all during the week. Reports indicated he was mostly working off to the side.
That status has created a split among those covering the team. The San Francisco Standard’s David Lombardi said Saturday that Evans is “on track to play” based on his read of the situation. On the other side, KNBR’s Larry Krueger said Saturday, “Based on what I saw, I'd be very surprised if Mike Evans plays on Monday.”
Evans has a long track record of pushing through pain, and he has not missed a game yet this season despite time lost in practice. He sat out Thursday’s session last week with the rib issue, then still played in the Week 5 win over Seattle. This time, though, is different: it’s the first week all season that he has missed every practice.
The 33-year-old joined the 49ers on a three-year, $42.4 million deal at the start of free agency after a 12-season run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’s been delivering right away.
Evans posted his first 100-yard game of the year against the Seahawks, catching seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Through five games, he has 24 catches on 34 targets for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
San Francisco is already preparing to be short-handed at receiver. Deebo Samuel Jr. has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, and Christian Kirk is questionable with a calf injury.
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