The San Francisco 49ers may not know until just before kickoff whether Mike Evans can play against the Washington Commanders on Monday night. The wide receiver is a game-time decision, per Cam Inman of the Mercury News.
Evans is questionable with rib and Achilles injuries, and he did not practice at all this week.
Mike Evans Did Not Practice This Week
Evans has been playing through a rib injury since the 49ers’ Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. This week, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that Evans is also dealing with a sore Achilles.
As a result, Evans spent practice off to the side, working on individual conditioning. His status may not be clear until the 49ers release their inactive list 90 minutes before kickoff.
Reports on Evans Are Split
The beat reporters do not agree on what will happen. David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard wrote that Evans seems “on track to play” based on his read of the situation.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area has a similar outlook. “At this point, I think Kyle Juszczyk and Mike Evans will play Monday night against Washington,” Maiocco wrote.
Larry Krueger of KNBR sees it differently. “Just came off the field at #49ers’ Saturday practice. Based on what I saw, I’d be very surprised if Mike Evans plays on Monday. He was off to the side,” Krueger wrote.
Evans Has Played Through Pain Before
The 33-year-old has a history of playing through injuries. He has not missed a game this season despite missing practice time. He sat out Thursday’s practice last week with his rib injury and still played in the win over the Seattle Seahawks.
This week is different. It is the first time all season that Evans missed the entire week of practice.
San Francisco 49ers Need Evans’ Production
Evans has delivered since signing a three-year, $42.4 million deal with the 49ers after 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Through five games, he has caught 24 of his 34 targets for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
He is also coming off his best performance of the year. Against the Seahawks, Evans finished with seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
49ers Receiver Group Is Thin
The receiver room is already short-handed. Deebo Samuel (hamstring) is out, and Christian Kirk (calf) is questionable.
If Evans and Kirk both sit, the 49ers would be down to Brandin Cooks, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins as their healthy receivers.
What’s Next for the 49ers
The 49ers will have their answer once the inactive list comes out. San Francisco is looking to stay undefeated, and Evans’ availability could shape how its offense looks in primetime.
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