Fantasy Football Player Notes
2026 PPR Draft Rankings
|
7.
Christian McCaffrey
RB - (at ARI)
Christian McCaffery led the NFL in touches in 2025 with 450. As I cited heading into last year regarding Saquon Barkley, chasing these RBs the year after they post monster touch totals is not a good bet to make. Barkley finished 2025 as the RB13. In the last 13 years, only one of those RBs was a top-5 fantasy RB the next year. after seeing 400-plus touches. One. Fade CMC in 2026.
|
|
50.
Mike Evans
WR - (at ARI)
Mike Evans enters his first season with San Francisco with more risk than ever before, but the touchdown upside remains extremely enticing. Injuries limited Evans in 2025, though he still commanded strong target volume whenever healthy and continued to draw top defensive attention. The veteran receiver now joins a 49ers offense that should create immediate red-zone opportunities, especially with George Kittle recovering from an Achilles injury. Evans may not offer elite weekly consistency, but his size and scoring ability make him a strong bet for double-digit touchdowns if the 33-year-old can stay on the field.
|
|
94.
Brock Purdy
QB - (at ARI)
Brock Purdy's pass-catching corps will look a lot different in 2026. Free-agent addition Mike Evans is expected to be Purdy's new No. 1 receiver, and the 49ers added WR Christian Kirk in free agency as well. Ricky Pearsall is still around, but Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne are gone. TE George Kittle is recovering from a torn Achilles and might not be ready for the start of the season. A nagging turf toe injury limited Purdy to nine starts in 2025. He threw 20 TD passes despite missing all that time, but he also threw 10 interceptions. Purdy has ranked inside QB1 range in fantasy points per game in each of his three full seasons as a starter. Consider him a low-end QB1 in 2026 fantasy drafts.
|
|
101.
Ricky Pearsall
WR - (at ARI)
Ricky Pearsall quietly flashed major upside in an injury-shortened 2025 season, posting four games with at least 85 receiving yards while leading the 49ers in receiving yards per game. The opportunity is massive entering 2026 with Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk gone, George Kittle recovering from a torn Achilles, and San Francisco carrying significant vacated targets and air yards. Pearsall has a realistic path to becoming a featured option in Kyle Shanahan's offense if he can finally stay healthy. Surrounded by aging veterans and inexperienced competition, the former first-round pick profiles as one of fantasy football's top breakout candidates.
|
|
115.
George Kittle
TE - (at ARI)
George Kittle tore his right Achilles in the 49ers' Wild Card win over the Eagles on Jan. 11. Kittle says his goal is to play in the 49ers' 2026 season opener against the Rams in Australia, defying the typical recovery timeline for an Achilles tear. It's possible the 32-year-old Kittle misses time early in the season, and it's possible he won't offer the usual Kittle-level production upon his return. But there will be an injury discount on Kittle in 2026 fantasy drafts, and the possibility that he's back to peak form in time for the fantasy playoffs is appealing. Over the last four seasons, Kittle has averaged 4.6 catches, 63.4 yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Kittle has been remarkably efficient over his career, averaging 10.0 yards per catch and 2.27 yards per target - better career numbers than superstar WR Ja'Marr Chase in both categories.
|
|
197.
Brandon Aiyuk
WR - (at ARI)
|
|
213.
Eddy Pineiro
K - (at ARI)
Coming off the finest season of his six-year career, Eddy Pineiro looks like a solid fantasy option for 2026. Pineiro led all kickers in field goal accuracy last season, converting at a 96.6% clip. He was a perfect 21-of-21 from inside 50 yards and was 6-of-7 from 50 yards and beyond. Strangely, Pineiro was less accurate on PATs than on field goals, hitting 89.5% of his 38 extra-point attempts. The 49ers brought in Pineiro in Week 2 after Jake Moody missed a 27-yard FG attempt and had a 36-yard try blocked in San Francisco's 17-13 Week 1 victory over Seattle. Pineiro averaged 10.0 fantasy points per game last year, tying for fifth in that category among kickers who played at least six games.
|
|
218.
De'Zhaun Stribling
WR - (at ARI)
De'Zhaun Stribling received the draft capital boost fantasy managers crave, but his profile still carries more risk than his post-draft hype suggests. The 49ers clearly believe in the former Ole Miss receiver, yet concerns remain about his age, production profile, target-earning ability, and path to immediate volume in a crowded offense. Stribling's ADP has climbed rapidly because of landing spot and draft capital, but those factors alone do not guarantee fantasy success. He remains a worthwhile swing if he falls in rookie drafts, though expectations should be tempered for immediate production.
|
|
251.
Christian Kirk
WR - (at ARI)
|
|
280.
Jordan James
RB - (at ARI)
|
|
291.
San Francisco 49ers
DST - (at ARI)
They open the season versus the Rams in Australia, but then it's smooth sailing from Weeks 2-3 (vs MIA and ARI at home). If you don't draft the Niners, they will be a priority waiver wire addition ahead of Week 2. Tied for the second-fewest interceptions in 2025 after being completely gutted by injuries.
|
|
307.
Jake Tonges
TE - (at ARI)
|
|
308.
Kaelon Black
RB - (at ARI)
|
|
313.
Isaac Guerendo
RB - (at ARI)
|
|
336.
Mac Jones
QB - (at ARI)
|
|
419.
Kyle Juszczyk
RB - (at ARI)
|
|
434.
Demarcus Robinson
WR - (at ARI)
|
|
504.
Sincere McCormick
RB - (at ARI)
|
|
580.
Khalil Dinkins
TE - (at ARI)
|
|
589.
Jacob Cowing
WR - (at ARI)
|
