2026 Team Outlook: San Francisco 49ers
QB Mac Jones, SF - Deep-league Only
Jones hit the ground running in his rookie preseason, earning New England's starting job. He opened the year 2-4 while averaging 245 passing yards per game and totaling seven touchdowns against six interceptions. Jones then rattled off seven straight wins despite averaging fewer than 200 passing yards and just 24.7 attempts per game during that stretch. A freak weather game in Week 13 against Buffalo produced only three pass attempts, making it an outlier that skewed his numbers. He finished the year going 1-4 over his final five starts, including the playoffs, throwing eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in that span. His 2022 season got off to a quiet start (213/1 and 252/1), before Jones put together his best showing of the year in Week 3 against Baltimore (321 yards, no touchdowns, five carries for 31 yards and a score, with eight completions of 20-plus yards). A high ankle sprain (suffered after his third interception in that game) cost him three weeks and effectively derailed his season. Over his final 10 starts, including the playoffs, Jones averaged just 221 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions while managing only 6.4 yards per attempt. His lone standout performance came in Week 12 (382/2). A thin receiving corps dragged Jones down again in 2023. He went 2-9 across 11 starts, with his only bright spot arriving in the opener (316/3). The final nine games were a grind (180.4 passing yards per game, seven touchdowns, and 11 interceptions) before New England pulled the plug and benched him for the final six games of the year. Given a fresh start in Jacksonville after Trevor Lawrence went down, Jones made seven starts and went 2-5, throwing eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. His best day as a Jaguar came in Week 15 (323/2).
His surface numbers are fine (a 65.3% completion rate looks respectable), but his 6.4 yards per attempt, which has shadowed him throughout his career, remains the more telling figure. Jones proved to be a wise investment by the 49ers last year. He kept San Francisco’s playoff hopes alive by going 5-3 after Brock Purdy went down with an injury. His best success came in two matchups against the Rams (346/2 and 322/3). He passed for over 300 yards in one other game (360/0). His completion rate (69.6%) and yards per pass attempt (7.4) were the best of his career. Fantasy Outlook: Over five seasons in the NFL, Jones has made 57 starts (25-32), with 67 touchdowns and 50 interceptions. His NFL experience and the 49ers’ receiving talent give him potential starting fantasy value if San Francisco needs him to replace Brock Purdy.
WR De'Zhaun Stribling, SF - Sleeper (undervalued)
Stribling bounced through three programs on his way to the NFL. He built a solid foundation at Washington State across two seasons (44/471/5 and 51/602/5) before transferring to Oklahoma State, where a wrist injury cut his first year short after four games (14/198/1). He responded with his best statistical season the following year (52 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns) at a blistering 17.0 yards per reception. His final college stop at Ole Miss produced another consistent campaign (55/811/6) in 2025. Over his college career, Stribling topped 100 receiving yards five times (7/174, 7/157/1, 7/101/1, 7/123/1, and 7/122), with four of those performances coming in 2024. His combination of size (6'2", 205 lbs.) and speed (4.36) makes Stribling an intriguing prospect. His release off the line is a work in progress. He doesn't win immediately against press coverage, which means Stribling tends to be more effective when he has room to build into his routes over the deeper portions of the field. Stribling’s a willing blocker on run plays, which should help keep him on the field in multiple situations. Once he gets into his stems, he attacks them with purpose and a burst. His area that needs the most refinement
is his hands in traffic. Stribling needs to become a more reliable option on contested catches. When defenses do give him a clean look on a slant or seam, he has the tools to turn those opportunities into touchdowns. Fantasy Outlook: I expect Stribling to offer flash value in his rookie season. He comes off the board as the 49ers’ WR5 in late June with a deep sleeper ADP (209) in the National Fantasy Football Championship.
Injury Status: Injured ReserveRB Jordan James, SF - Fantasy Handcuff
James carved out a larger role each season during his three years at Oregon, culminating in a 2024 campaign that saw him rack up 1,476 combined yards, 15 touchdowns, and 26 catches on 259 touches. A year earlier, he flashed more as a big-play threat out of a rotational role, averaging 7.1 yards per carry in 2023. His athleticism numbers aren't going to turn heads. James ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which was below the threshold most teams look for at the position, and several other measurables fell short of the NFL average as well. His biggest area to clean up is his patience in the running game; he tends to hit gaps before they've fully developed rather than letting his blockers do their work. James’ value will come from running through contact and making defenders miss in open space. His pass protection is serviceable enough to keep him on the field in obvious passing situations, which opens the door to a three- down role if he continues to develop. The 49ers had James on the field for only 17 plays last year, with his only touches coming in their final game (6/28 with one catch for seven yards) of the postseason. Fantasy Outlook: James will compete for a backup running back job for the 49ers in 2026. His ADP (193) puts him in the deep flier category in early draft season. He is one injury away from a significant increase in touches.
RB Isaac Guerendo, SF - Fantasy Handcuff
Guerendo never got a real chance to carry the load at Wisconsin, totaling just 119 touches over five seasons for 706 combined yards, seven touchdowns, and 20 catches. Hamstring trouble and a foot injury ate into his availability across three of those years. A transfer to Louisville finally unlocked his opportunity, producing a breakout 2023
season (132 carries for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns, plus 22 catches for 234 yards). San Francisco selected him in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. His 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine confirmed what the tape suggested — Guerendo’s a plus athlete who plays with physicality and intent. He's also a capable pass protector and a reliable target out of the backfield, giving him a well-rounded skill set that can grow further as long as he stays on the field. That last part is the key caveat. Injuries to the 49ers' backfield gave Guerendo openings he wouldn't have otherwise seen as a rookie, and he made the most of them in four outings — 10/99, 102 combined yards with a touchdown and three catches, 15/78/2 with two catches for 50 yards, and 75 combined yards with four receptions. The problem is he also missed time with foot, hamstring, and knee issues, which is a familiar pattern given how often injuries derailed him in college. Health remains the defining question around his outlook. San Francisco barely used an RB3 option last year, leading to Guerendo getting no snaps, with his only injury (shoulder) coming last August. His lack of chances was tied to Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson staying healthy all year. Fantasy Outlook: In late April, Guerendo had a pectoral injury that will sideline him this summer. His 2024 success in limited games put him in the RB2 conversation in San Francisco, but he won’t be drafted in many formats.
WR Christian Kirk, SF - Deep-league Only
Jacksonville handed Kirk an $84 million extension heading into 2022 despite him never finishing as a top-24 wide receiver in any prior season. He made them look smart, setting personal bests across the board (84 catches, 1,108 yards, eight touchdowns, and 133 targets). Kirk cracked 100 receiving yards three times (6/117, 9/105/2, and 6/104) and topped 20.00 fantasy points in five additional outings (6/78/2, 8/76/1, 6/99/1, 8/78/1, and 7/70/1), finishing 12th among wide receivers in PPR scoring (243.40). A quiet opener in 2023 (1/9) gave way to an eight-game stretch where Kirk was Jacksonville's most reliable receiving option (48 catches for 615 yards and three touchdowns on 68 targets), averaging 8.5 looks per game while converting 70.6% of his opportunities. His three best performances in that run (11/110, 6/90/1, and 6/104) showed him operating as a legitimate WR2. The two weeks that followed were a step back, just seven combined catches for 137 yards on 13 targets, and then his season ended on his very first play in Week 13 with a groin injury. Projecting his first 11 games over a full 17-game schedule pointed to roughly 87 catches, 1,117 yards, and five touchdowns, a mid- tier WR2 baseline. In 2024, Kirk never found his rhythm outside of back-to-back solid outings in Week 3 (8/79) and Week 4 (7/61/1). His other six appearances were a collective disappointment (12 catches for 239
yards and one touchdown on 25 targets). A broken collarbone then shut him down with nine games remaining on the schedule. The Texans gave Kirk WR4 snaps (40.1%) last year while missing four games early in the year due to a lingering hamstring issue. His only fantasy value came in Week 12 (5/54/1) and Week 19 (8/144/1). Kirk had 25 catches for 205 yards and one touchdown across his other 13 games. Fantasy Outlook: Kirk brings veteran experience to the 49ers’ offense, but he has a lot to prove in 2026. His ADP (186) in the high-stakes market in late June puts him well off draft fantasy scent this draft season.
