T
he San Francisco 49ers are in the thick of the NFC playoff chase, where their fight for the No. 1 seed rages on. Coming off of a win over the Tennessee Titans, all the 49ers need to do is beat the Indianapolis Colts in week 16 and they are officially in the playoffs. Sitting at 10-4, it is safe to say that 2025 has been a successful season so far for the 49ers.
But what has been most impressive about the 49ers’ this season is how they have continued to find ways to win in the midst of all the injury issues they have dealt with– particularly at wide receiver. Missing Brandon Aiyuk all season with Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings dealing with injuries of their own, the receiver room in San Francisco has struggled to really establish itself. That’s why the 49ers made sure to address the holes at receiver in the NFL Draft, selecting Jordan Watkins out of Ole Miss in the fourth round. But so far as a rookie, Watkins has yet to feature in a regular season game, being a healthy scratch for most of the year while also dealing with some injuries of his own as well. On Monday, Kyle Shanahan spoke on why Watkins has been limited as a rookie and what the team needs to see from him going forward.
Watkins and His Lack of Playing Time
Watkins dealt with a calf issue this season that kept him sidelined but he has also struggled to crack the starting lineup mostly because of how far down the depth chart he is. While Pearsall and Jennings have been the starters this year, Demarcus Robinson, Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore have all shown signs of promise, making it hard for Watkins to pass them. And while a 19 yard catch in a win over the New York Giants suggests that Watkins has potential, Shanahan said he still needs to show a lot more on the practice field before he can be trusted to take a lot of game reps.
“Jordan needs to show out on the practice field that he is better than the guys in front of him,” Shanahan said. “And it’s really tough with these guys when they’ve missed so much time, but he’s been out here for a little bit, getting back in shape, and doing a good job in practice. But we’re going to play the top guys, and he’s still working to show that he’s one of those.”
Watkins was a star at Ole Miss– ending last season with 49 catches for 906 yards and nine touchdowns– but is still looking to prove himself in the NFL. Given how the 49ers will have decisions to make in free agency this offseason at wide receiver, Watkins could look to earn more regular playing time come next season.
Watkins’ Career at a Glance
Before playing at Ole Miss, Watkins spent the first two seasons of his college career at Louisville, breaking out in 2021 with 35 catches for 529 yards and four touchdowns– finishing second on the team in all receiving categories. Entering the transfer portal, Watkins spent the final three seasons of his career at Ole Miss, where he slowly evolved as one of the program’s most productive receivers.
Kyle Shanahan Explains Rookie Wide Receiver’s Lack of Playing Time This Season