San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Friday that WRs Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel are ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Evans is nursing an Achilles injury that he reaggravated during the 49ers’ Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders. The WR exited the game in the third quarter and did not return.
Deebo sustained a hamstring injury against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. He did not play against the Commanders.
However, the 49ers are expected to get a boost to their wide receiver room as veteran wideout Christian Kirk is expected to play on Sunday.
Christian Kirk Expected to Return From Injury, Play vs. Falcons
The 49ers’ Week 7 contest against the Falcons will be Kirk’s first game in a 49ers uniform.
Kirk signed a 1-year, $6 million contract this offseason to join San Francisco. But the 8-year veteran suffered a calf injury during training camp.
The 49ers subsequently placed Kirk on injured reserve before their regular season opener.
San Francisco then officially opened the WR’s practice window on Oct. 15.
Adam Schefter of ESPN wrote on X (on Oct. 15): “49ers opened the practice window for WR Christian Kirk, who has been on injured reserve all season due to a calf injury.”
The 29-year-old is expected to play after logging back-to-back full practices on Wednesday and Thursday.
Looking at Christian Kirk’s Career Before Joining the 49ers
Kirk has accumulated 432 career receptions, 5,415 yards, and 30 touchdowns during his 8-year NFL career.
He has played for the Arizona Cardinals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and, most recently, the Houston Texans before joining the 49ers.
Kirk recorded career-lows in receptions (28) and yards (239) last season with the Texans. But he helped lead Houston to a 30-6 playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He impressed with 8 receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown.
How Does the 49ers’ WR Room Look Without Evans or Samuel?
The 49ers suffered big blows to their WR room after Evans and Samuel were ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
San Francisco’s offense was noticeably bad when Evans got hurt in the second quarter against the Commanders.
The 49ers scored only 3 points in the second half to hold on for a narrow 23-17 win. But the offense went 3-and-out and recorded only 2 total yards on their last three drives of the game.
It will be interesting to see how the 49ers move the ball without their top two WRs.
San Francisco is set to have a WR room of Kirk, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing against the Falcons.
49ers Get Encouraging Christian Kirk News Before Falcons Game