NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed via X that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s NFC West showdown with the Arizona Cardinals.
Jennings, who is listed on the injury report with both ankle and shoulder ailments, did not practice at all this week, but remained questionable until Sunday morning before officially being ruled out for Sunday’s game.
Jennings was the 49ers third leading pass catcher through two weeks, behind Ricky Pearsall and Christian McCaffrey. He had a slow start to the season with just two catches for 16 yards in San Francisco’s week one win over Seattle, but elevated his game in week two against the New Orleans Saints with five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Pearsall will likely be elevated to the Niners No. 1 WR role for Sunday’s game, while back-up quarterback Mac Jones will have to utilize a variety of fringe wide receivers like Kendrick Bourne and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Injury Riddled 49ers Look To Improve To 3-0 Against Arizona
San Francisco had 12 players listed on its injury report this week, most notably Jennings and starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who also missed week two with a shoulder injury and will miss this week as well.
Mac Jones stepped in at QB last week for the 49ers and delivered an unexpectedly strong performance to lead San Francisco to a 26-21 victory over the Saints. Jones completed 26-of-39 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The former Patriot and Jaguar delivered his best performance in years when his Niners needed it the most.
Jones will look to follow that performance up against another 2-0 team in the Cardinals, who defeated New Orleans and Carolina to start the season. Jones won’t have Jennings who was his No. 1 target last week. He threw the ball Jennings’ way 10 times, the most of any receiver on the team.
The 49ers will rely heavily on McCaffrey in both the run and the pass game. He has 249 all-purpose yards through two weeks.
NFC West Strong To Start The 2025 Season
The NFC is an astounding combined 7-1 through two weeks, with the only team to lose being Seattle, who lost to the 49ers. The NFC West was projected to be the third best division in the NFL to start the season, but each of the teams has proved thus far that they are a stronger than advertised division.
Something will give this Sunday as the 49ers and Cardinals face off for the first time this season as San Francisco looks to improve to 2-0 within their division.
49ers Get Major Update on WR Jauan Jennings Before Cardinals Game