Jauan Jennings proved capable of a blowup fantasy football performance when he posted 11 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.
However, Jennings is battling an injury heading into the 49ers’ Week 7 Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs. Will San Francisco’s WR3 be ready for Sunday’s game?
Week 7 Injury Update for 49ers WR Jauan Jennings
Jennings did not participate in the 49ers’ practices all week while battling a hip injury that he suffered in the team’s Week 6 win over the division-rival Seattle Seahawks.
On Friday, Jennings was officially declared out, so he will not play against the Chiefs.
Per 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan:
🏈RB Jordan Mason, who sprained his AC joint, is off the injury report and will play Sunday vs. the Chiefs.
🏈WR Jauan Jennings is out due to a hip injury.
🏈WR Ricky Pearsall will make his NFL debut vs. the Chiefs.
🏈K Matthew Wright is going on IR. pic.twitter.com/b28xLmX0dD— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 18, 2024
Jennings played his usual complement of snaps in San Francisco’s Week 6 victory. Still, that win came on a Thursday night. The fact that he has had extra time to recover and still hasn’t practiced this week means he wasn’t close to being ready to play.
Jennings caught four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. He also threw a touchdown pass, joining Nick Foles as the only players in Super Bowl history to throw and catch a touchdown in the same game.
Jennings’ Fantasy Analysis
Jennings finished as fantasy’s WR1 after his Week 3 explosion. That performance has bolstered his yearlong stats, but he’s been an effective receiver outside that game.
Jennings ranks fourth among wideouts in yards per route run (2.79). Even if you remove his Week 3 blowup, he still ranks 18th in YPRR at 2.22, well above the league-wide WR average (1.59).
However, Jennings might be a better real-life football player than fantasy weapon. He’s created consistent separation this season while remaining one of the NFL’s best run-blocking wideouts.
Yet, there are too many mouths to feed in San Francisco. With Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel Sr., and George Kittle all in line for targets, Jennings gets pushed down the hierarchy. His Week 3 standout notably came when Samuel was sidelined by injury.
Although Jennings is out, the 49ers are getting a receiver back thanks to rookie Ricky Pearsall’s impending activation from the non-football injury list. Pearsall’s 21-day practice window opened on Monday, and he has ramped up his activity each day.
Brock Purdy on Ricky Pearsall being added into this offense! pic.twitter.com/XTE8dWo2Ys
— John Chapman (@JL_Chapman) October 17, 2024
After fully participating in practice all week leading up to Week 7, Pearsall was listed as questionable on the final injury report. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday that Pearsall will be activated for Sunday’s game.
Pearsall has been on NFI since being shot in an attempted robbery in late August.
This is an unfavorable matchup against a Chiefs pass defense that ranks just 20th in EPA per dropback but has allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
Kansas City is especially tough against tertiary pass catchers; the Chiefs have the ninth-best DVOA against opposing No. 3 WRs.
