It took just one drive by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 of the preseason versus the Las Vegas Raiders to figure out who quarterback Brock Purdy's No. 1 wide receiver would be to kick off the 2025 season.
It's second-year pro Ricky Pearsall.
The Niners' top pick from the 2024 NFL Draft who spent the first half of his rookie season recovering from a gunshot wound suffered in an attempted robbery, has taken full advantage of the context surrounding him entering year two. Veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel was traded off to the Washington Commanders earlier this offseason, while fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from last year's torn ACL and MCL, not projected to be back until Week 6.