Ricky

Pearsall

Pearsall was shot in an attempted robbery just days before the first week of the season. He was then placed on the NFI list, sidelining him for at least four weeks. Per Garafolo, Pearsall was pushing to play in Week 1 against the Jets but that obviously wasn’t a realistic possibility. Still, this is as good of an update as we could have hoped for. San Francisco’s first-round wideout should step into a part-time role once he is able to suit up. Jauan Jennings and possibly fellow rookie Jacob Cowing will see the WR3 reps for now.

This was somewhat expected after Pearsall was shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt over the weekend. Pearsall will be required to miss at least four games with this designation and will be eligible to return in Week 5 when the 49ers take on the Cardinals.

This is today’s second positive report regarding Pearsall’s health. His mother also shared via social media, “no vital organs were struck in the attack.” Pearsall’s continuing recovery has taken another step in the right direction.

There were previous reports of Pearsall being shot in the arm, but more recent reports have said Pearsall was shot in the chest. Per Pearsall’s mother, the wide receiver “was shot in the chest, and it exited out his back.” She also noted that “no vital organs were struck in the attack” while adding, “My son was spared today by the grace of God.” It sounds like the worst is behind Pearsall, as we continue to hope for a speedy recovery.

This latest report contradicts the one we received earlier, which said Pearsall “was shot through his arm.” This situation remains one to monitor as reports continue to come out, but Pearsall, being in stable condition, has been consistent throughout the day. This won’t be the last piece of news we hear about Pearsall. We’ll be sure to check back in with any updates.

It’s about as good of news as we could hope for at this time. Pearsall was shot through the arm in an armed robbery attempt on Saturday afternoon, but the injuries appear to be non-life threatening. We’ll continue to learn more about this story in the coming days, including how much time he is expected to miss, but all of that is secondary at the moment. Our thoughts are with Pearsall as he takes time to recover.

Pearsall, according to local police, is in stable condition after the shooting. Pearsall, 23, was the Niners’ first round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has struggled through a shoulder injury for much of the summer and profiles as the team’s No. 3 receiver behind Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.

Russini reports that, had the Broncos accepted, the Niners would have then shipped Aiyuk to the Steelers. All this is kind of pointless counterfactual, but it underscores the fact that Aiyuk’s return is strictly a business decision for both sides. Aiyuk was willing to play hardball and the 49ers were unwilling to harm their 2024 championship odds. It’s also a clear indication the Niners aren’t counting on instant contributions from 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall.

It felt like things were trending in this direction after Shanahan said on Friday that he’s hopeful Pearsall would return to practice this week. He also suggested that Pearsall’s Week 1 availability would somewhat hinge on a return this week, leaving us to believe there’s at least a chance he could be ready for the season opener against the Jets. This remains a situation to monitor, but with nearly two full weeks until the start of the season, Pearsall is undoubtedly trending in the right direction. With that said, his fantasy upside still hinges on Brandon Aiyuk’s future with the team. If Aiyuk is on the roster and active, Pearsall is best left on the bench until we get a better sense of his usage in a top-heavy receiver room.

Pearsall hasn’t practiced in full since August 6, leaving his Week 1 availability in doubt. However, Shanahan said after the team’s preseason game on Friday that if Pearsall can practice this coming week, it would be “a pretty good sign of his availability” for the team’s season opener. The team reportedly knew of Pearsall’s shoulder injury prior to drafting him earlier this offseason. While things haven’t started off great, Shanahan said the damage to Pearsall’s shoulder isn’t enough to be concerned about his availability for the season. We’ll see how things go this week.