Which 49ers first-round wide receiver will be 'center of attention' in Week 1?

Dan Guttenplan

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Which 49ers first-round wide receiver will be 'center of attention' in Week 1? image

The San Francisco 49ers are counting on Ricky Pearsall to emerge as a No. 1 receiver after trading away Deebo Samuel last offseason and playing without Brandon Aiyuk for at least the first five weeks of the season.

The 2024 first-round draft pick looks to be on track to fulfill that potential through the first few weeks of training.

According to San Francisco Standard 49ers insider David Lombardi, Pearsall will be "the center of attention" in the passing game at the start of the season if DeMarcus Robinson is suspended and Jauan Jennings is still injured.

Pearsall's rookie season was derailed last summer when he got shot in the chest a week before the opener. Pearsall didn’t make his debut until Week 7 and then had only two catches over a five-game stretch from Week 11 through 15. However, he finished strong in the final two weeks of the season when he had 14 catches for 210 yards and two TDs.

Brandon Aiyuk had a disappointing season with only 25 catches for 374 yards. He will likely start the season on the PUP list, eligible to return post-Week 5. Jennings, 28, is entering the final year of a two-year, $15.4 million extension that he signed with the franchise in May 2024. Despite Jennings wanting a new contract, it doesn't appear that an extension is imminent. Last month, receiver Demarcus Robinson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge. That sets him up for an automatic three-game suspension.

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Dan Guttenplan

Dan Guttenplan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News.