The San Francisco 49ers pulled out a win against the Washington Commanders, but they took some serious hits to their roster, especially in the wide receiver room. Mike Evans, their star wideout, went down with an Achilles injury that Kyle Shanahan said was “just the same thing that was bothering him all week,” flaring up mid-game and sidelining him for two quarters. That’s a huge blow, even if they snagged the victory.
Evans’ Achilles Is A Week-To-Week Headache
Shanahan sounded pretty direct about Evans’ Achilles issue, saying, “It’s something that’s bothered him before, and something that has bothered him throughout the week.” Apparently, the dude has Achilles tendinitis, and as Shanahan put it, “it kind of is what it is.” The 49ers coach revealed it was a “pretty close call” whether Evans would even play against the Commanders, with Evans himself confident he could push through for Week 6. He clearly couldn’t last.
The good news, if you can call it that, is Shanahan doesn’t think Evans will need further testing. Plus, Jennifer Lee Chan tweeted that she’s hearing the Achilles is intact. Shanahan emphasized, “we don’t think it’s a long-term thing.” But even if it’s not a season-ender, “it almost cost him this game. It cost him two quarters.” That’s not exactly reassuring when you’re talking about a key player. Shanahan is hoping Evans can play next week, but if not, he’s counting on “the rest of the group” to step up until Evans can get healed up after their bye week.
49ers’ Wideout Room Is Bare Bones
It’s not just Evans giving Shanahan headaches. The 49ers’ wide receiver depth is looking pretty thin right now. Shanahan openly acknowledged “it’s tough” at the position with all the injuries. Besides Evans, linebacker Luke Gifford (groin) and cornerback Upton Stout (shoulder) also got banged up against the Commanders.
Looking ahead, Christian Kirk is a “possibility” for their Week 7 matchup against the Falcons, but even that sounds shaky. Shanahan explained Kirk only had “two good practices in,” which were his “first two practices of the year.” They’ve been “down on wideouts,” but decided to give Kirk another week to get ready. Then there’s Demarcus Robinson, who won’t be ready this week. Shanahan also said he’d “be surprised” if either “Deebo” or “D-Rob” are back before the bye week. That’s a lot of talent missing from an already struggling group. Shanahan is left to rely on “practice squad guys,” stating, “We’ve got enough guys in our building. We’ll put a plan together and see how it goes.”
The 49ers are heading into Week 7 against the Falcons with some serious questions at wide receiver. Shanahan and his staff have their work cut out for them, needing to put together a game plan that can survive with a depleted and recovering receiving corps. Hopefully, they can hold strong until that bye week gives everyone a chance to heal up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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