NFL Player News

The news comes straight from 49ers general manager John Lynch, though the 49ers’ injury updates have been less than reliable over the past 18 months. Bosa, 28, tore an ACL on September 21. Williams, a 21-year-old first-round rookie, tore his on November 2. The 49ers are a candidate to bring in more EDGE depth in the draft or late free agency given how much injury uncertainty they’ll carry there in 2026.

Odunze caused concern earlier this offseason, saying his 2025 foot injury created “a different type of foot structure” and that he was learning to deal with the “new normal.” Speaking with ESPN’s Courtney Cronin today, Odunze said he articulated his prior comments poorly and that his foot issue is “not even really something that I think about anymore.” Sounds like he has successfully adjusted to the new normal, which is great to hear. Odunze is jockeying for position in the Bears’ target pecking order with TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden this summer.

The seventh-round rookie is back on the Seahawks roster after missing most of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp. He will now compete for a roster spot.

Branch was a screen game dominator in college, with speed to spare. Raimondi thinks the Falcons will attempt to replicate his Georgia game early on, but Branch has a chance to become “the No. 3 guy, maybe even the No. 2 guy at some point.” Falcons WRs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus sit in those two spots. Branch is unlikely to contribute meaningfully in fantasy early in the year, but he is worth keeping an eye on in-season.

Raimondi believes Dotson’s ability to stretch the field from the perimeter adds an element to the Falcons’ offense that they lacked in recent seasons. Although WR Drake London has been regularly deployed as a part-time slot weapon, Dotson’s presence helps reinforce London’s slot opportunities this season. Great news for all involved.

Hankins entered the NFL as a 2013 second-round pick with the Giants. He played out his rookie contract before joining the Colts for a one-off campaign. After a four-year stay with the Raiders, he spent two seasons with the Cowboys and one with the Seahawks. A back injury prevented him from playing in 2025. The former run-stuffing defensive tackle ends his career with 239 solo tackles, 39 TFLs, 18.5 sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles.

According to Nabers, the “plan is to keep stacking days” and see where things go. We’ll take it. Nabers’ limited participation thus far is a remarkably positive development. He is coming off a major injury, so he is not without risk, but his elite upside makes him well worth the dice roll. He seemingly has a chance to play in Week 1 against the Cowboys.

Maiocco’s exact phrasing is a bit wordy, but he says, “it’s reasonable, rational, logical, for the 49ers to not expect Ricky Pearsall to make any contribution in 2026.” Pearsall is dealing with the same PCL tear that plagued him last year. The team reportedly believed it would heal this offseason. It apparently did not. The team is trying to determine whether he must undergo surgery to correct the issue. If so, he will miss the 2026 season. For those wondering why he did not undergo surgery earlier this offseason, Maiocco says the required recovery timeline would “probably” have caused him to miss the 2026 season anyway. If they delay the surgery this time around, his 2027 season could be impacted. Regardless of which path they choose, we hope Pearsall enjoys a swift, successful recovery. He should probably be avoided in fantasy drafts at this time.

According to Atkins, Nacua made some off-field changes this spring after spending time at a holistic care facility. Although the “best shape of his life” storylines are often overplayed, Nacua’s improved offseason workout and diet habits reportedly have him “gliding faster downfield than he has before.” Nacua will remain a “rugged” centerfield dominator as he contends for the overall WR1 finish in fantasy, but it sounds like the Rams may also be honing his downfield route running, entering his age-25 season. Being a more complete receiver is only a good thing for his fantasy-scoring outlook.

Brazzell was initially expected to avoid surgery and instead rehab the “moderate LCL tear in his left knee.” After getting a second opinion, the player and team decided surgery was the “best option” for the rookie’s long-term health. According to Person, Brazzell was expected to challenge WR Xavier Legette for the No. 3 role, while also potentially allowing WR Tetairoa McMillan to line up in the slot more often. The latter storyline is worth tracking. Hopefully, the plan remains in place and Brazzell makes a full recovery ahead of the 2027 season. We expect him to be placed on injured reserve soon.

Rodrigue listed WR Konata Mumpfield and WR Jordan Whittington as candidates for the gig, notably excluding rookie WR CJ Daniels. Daniels was viewed as the potential WR3 due to his blocking ability earlier this year. Rodrigue says it is instead Whittington who could serve as the “3B” blocker. Mumpfield reportedly “looks the part” as the “3A” receiving component. Will he return fantasy value reliably? Probably not. Earlier this month, Rodrigue’s colleague, Nate Atkins, said Mumpfield could be the next man up on the perimeter if WRs Puka Nacua or Davante Adams miss time. Rodrigue’s comments seemingly confirm this.