Last Sunday, Ricky Pearsall and the San Francisco 49ers suffered a surprise 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium, their third defeat in four outings. However, they have no time to brood over their underwhelming form, as they are in action on Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.
The 49ers had the opportunity to give their offense a boost with the addition of wide receiver Pearsall. The rookie was placed on the non-football injury list in August after he was shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt at Union Square in San Francisco.
Fortunately, his injuries weren't life-threatening, but his NFL debut was delayed indefinitely. The team had the opportunity to open his practice window this week but decided against it.
49ers WR Ricky Pearsall's return timeline
On Monday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the team wasn't opening Ricky Pearsall's practice window, as they were on a short week. San Francisco's light practice schedule over the next seven days meant that it made little sense to designate the rookie for a return.
The 49ers could open Pearsall's 21-day practice window next week and test whether the rookie can suit up and play any part in their Week 7 clash against the reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium.
Ricky Pearsall Fantasy Outlook for the rest of the 2024 season
Fantasy owners who desperately need wide receivers to fill in for their injured stars or replace underperforming players could consider Ricky Pearsall as an option. However, there's too much uncertainty about whether he will play this season.
Even if he suits up, the rookie will be the fifth choice in the passing game, behind Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Juan Jennings and George Kittle. He also won't have much time to build chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy.
While the 49ers' receivers are great assets, Pearsall is not an enticing option. So, it's best to avoid picking the rookie wide receiver off the waiver wire this season even if San Francisco opens his practice window and fields him against the Chiefs in Week 7.
Chiefs Fans! Check out the latest Kansas City Chiefs Schedule and dive into the Chiefs Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.