The San Francisco 49ers are shoring up their wide receiver corps, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN tweeting that KhaDarel Hodge is getting the call-up to the active roster. This move creates an open spot on the practice squad, and we’re likely to get more details later on Wednesday when Kyle Shanahan speaks to the media. Hodge only played four special teams snaps in Week 1, handling both kickoff and kickoff return duties. Now, he’s expected to step into a much bigger role for the Niners.
Hodge Steps Up While Stribling Goes Down
This shake-up comes on the heels of De’Zhaun Stribling being placed on Injured Reserve, a move confirmed by Adam Schefter. Stribling is set to miss at least four games due to an ankle injury. Shanahan might have an updated timetable, but honestly, don’t hold your breath for immediate good news. It was a tough sight in Week 1, with Stribling unable to put any weight on his leg after what looked like one of those dreaded non-contact injuries. The expectation for this roster move was high, but it still feels like Stribling avoided the absolute worst-case scenario. Missing eight games, if the ankle injury turns out more severe than first thought, is still a better outcome than what many were probably imagining when they saw him go down.
Who’s Running Routes Now?
With Stribling sidelined, the wide receiver room for the 49ers heading into Week 2 looks like this: Mike Evans, Demarcus Robinson, Deebo Samuel, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, and now KhaDarel Hodge. Looking back at Week 1, the route counts show just how much Stribling’s absence impacts the offense. Evans led the group with 23 routes, followed by Robinson and Samuel each with 18. Stribling himself ran 13 routes, a significant chunk that now needs to be distributed. Cowing ran just 3 routes, and Hodge only 1. That’s a lot of snaps and targets up for grabs, and Hodge clearly has the most ground to make up in terms of offensive involvement.
We’ll be waiting for those updates later today from Shanahan. Maybe we’ll get some clarity on Stribling’s timeline, or even some news on how close Christian Kirk is to making his return to the field.
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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