For the San Francisco 49ers, they long benefited from having the wide receiver duo of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Unlike last season, both are not going to be playing during the Week 1 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Over the past two years, including this one, San Francisco has used some early draft picks on the wide receiver position. In 2024, the Niners drafted both Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, while taking Jordan Watkins this year back in April.
The emergence of wide receiver Jauan Jennings in 2024 helped maintain the 49ers' passing offense as a threat behind quarterback Brock Purdy. For the second season in a row,San Francisco boasted the fourth-best passing offense in the league.
The 49ers also added DeMarcus Robinson to the depth chart at wide receiver.
This puts a potential competition between Cowing and Watkins.
Why Jacob Cowing needs to have a strong preseason for the 49ers?
The former Arizona Wildcat was used sparingly by San Francisco last year. Cowing only caught passes in two games in 2024. He collected two receptions for a total of 50 yards in the 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Cowing had just as many catches, and 30 yards, in the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
Cowing did not suit up for the 49ers against the Denver Broncos in the 30-7 preseason loss on Saturday night.
Instead, Watkins shined as he had a team high of 56 receiving yards on just three catches, including this 50-yard haul early in the game:
Despite being targeted six times, Watkins made a case to start for the 49ers with Aiyuk recovering from ACL surgery and Robinson serving a two-game suspension. The fourth-round pick out of Ole Miss not only hauled in a pass for 50 yards, but he also completed a rush for 3 yards.
Watkins had his best collegiate football game on Nov. 2, 2024, when he caught eight passes for 254 yards in addition to five touchdowns. He set the Ole Miss single-game record for receiving touchdowns despite never having any other game where he tallied multiple touchdowns.
Cowing, meanwhile, might end up being something of an afterthought, and the first week of preseason action did nothing to change that possibility.
This Saturday, San Francisco will play the Las Vegas Raiders in their second preseason game of the year.
In order for Cowing to outshine Watkins, he not only has to take the field but he has to deliver some big plays like Watkins did over the weekend.
