RickyPearsall

News: 3 hours agoCoach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday that Pearsall (shoulder) will return to practice Monday, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.

Spin: Pearsall has been sidelined since Aug. 6 due to a pre-existing shoulder sublaxation that he sustained in college, and he did not suit up for San Francisco's 24-24 tie in the preseason finale against Las Vegas. Shanahan appears to be doubling down on his comments following Friday's exhibition when he said that he was hopefull for Pearsall to return to practice this coming week. The rookie first-rounder's level of participation Monday should shed some light on his availability for the regular-season opener versus the Jets on Monday, Sept. 9. If healthy, Pearsall could be in line to play a meaningful role for the 49ers, as there's still lingering uncertainty around fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk's contract situation with the team.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Pearsall is a favorite among metrics mavens, presenting with elite testing numbers that include burst and agility scores above the 95th percentile. Pearsall gives off Christian Kirk vibes, as he's likely best deployed via the slot, but has the route savvy, strength and catch radius to successfully work all levels of the field. Pearsall is buried on the depth chart to begin his career, but is one injury away from fantasy relevance. He's a wonderful fit for Kyle Shanahan's offense and is worth a late-round fantasy pick.