Ricky Pearsall Fantasy Overview

The 49ers signed WR Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, according to multiple reports. Samuel spent his first six NFL seasons in San Francisco (2019 to 2024) and returns amid injuries to Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk.

Niners WR Ricky Pearsall is sitting out of Wednesday's practice because of swelling in the same knee he injured last season, according to multiple reports. The PCL injury in that knee cost him eight games, including some late season aggravations.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd pick in Round 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Stribling started his college career at Washington State and produced right away. He ranked third on the team with 470 yards as a true freshman before jumping to a team-high 602 the next year. Stribling failed to climb much from there, though. He transferred to Oklahoma State in 2023 but missed most of that season with a broken wrist. In 2024, he led the team with 882 receiving yards but ranked second in catches (52) and TDs (6). Stribling made another move to Ole Miss this past season and posted a 55-811-6 line. He led the Rebels in TDs but ranked second in catches and receiving yards. Among the 49 WRs invited to the Combine, Stribling ranked 24th in dominator rating (24.6%) and 30th in yards per route (2.15). The 6’2, 207-pounder boosted his stock with a 4.36-second 40 time and 9.57 Relative Athletic Score at the Combine. But he arrives in the NFL with a middling production profile and an underdeveloped route tree. Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, hitches and gos accounted for 57% of his routes last year.

The 49ers are signing WR Christian Kirk to a one-year, $6 million deal, insider Jordan Schultz reports. Kirk tallied a career-low 239 receiving yards in 13 games with the Texans last year. He'll turn 30 in November.