KhaDarel

Hodge

Hodge has been released with an injury settlement. Per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, this opens the door for him to return upon healing while also saving a possible short-term injured reserve spot.

The 49ers’ injury pileup at wide receiver, has made Hodge mildly relevant. He is on the wrong side of questionable for the team’s Week 4 game against the Broncos, though.

This is a low blow, even for the subsation. Hodge began the year on San Francisco’s practice squad but was promoted to the active roster when De’Zhaun Stribling went down with an ankle injury. He wound up running 45 percent of the routes in Week 3 but was not targeted once. With Mike Evans also banged up, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins could be in line for more work this week.

This comes as the Niners placed rookie WR De’Zaun Stribling (ankle) on injured reserve, meaning he’ll be sidelined for at least four weeks. Hodge isn’t likely to see many snaps or routes this week against the Dolphins and should remain on waiver wires.

The Athletic’s Matt Barrows said Hodge is a “strong candidate” to land on the Niners’ practice squad headed into the regular season. A journyeman wideout who plays special teams, Hodge most recently played four seasons with the Falcons, never recording more than 14 receptions over that span. He could find his way onto the 49ers active roster if the team suffers more receiver injuries this year.

The team also signed defensive lineman Ogbo Okoronkwo. Kevin Givens and Cameron Sample were waived in corresponding moves. Hodge caught three passes for 31 yards in Atlanta last year. The 49ers simply needed another body at receiver with all four of their top wideouts banged up to start training camp.

The move isn’t quite official yet, but the Falcons have already informed Hodge of his release, per Jordan Schultz. He will join a thin pool of wideouts available in free agency. Hodge appeared in a dozen games in 2025, catching three passes for 31 yards. He is largely a special teamer at this point in his career.

That’ll end his season as the Falcons aren’t going to the playoffs. Hodge went for 3/31 on eight targets against the Dolphins in Week 8 and was held to two catchless targets on the rest of the season. It was a land of contrasts. The soon-to-be 31-year-old veteran is signed to a reasonable $3.36 million cap figure in 2026.

Since receiving eight targets in Week 8, Hodge has one target in four games and now is a healthy scratch. London didn’t practice all week and is a question mark for Week 14. Star guard Chris Lindstrom (toe) continues to play through an injury on the questionable line.

Hodge was the primary beneficiary of Drake London’s injury-related absence this week. He led the team’s wideouts in targets and only trailed Kyle Pitts by one look. Hodge logged a 26 percent target share. If London misses another week because of his hip injury, Hodge could be in line for a strong target share against the Pats in Week 9. He would be a volume-based WR4 in that scenario, though London’s return would take him off the fantasy menu entirely.