The San Francisco 49ers are expected to add a veteran wide receiver at some point this week. According to Pro Football Network’s top 100 free agents, the Niners are a potential landing spot for four wide receivers. Here they are:
5. WR Stefon Diggs – 2025 Team: New England Patriots
Projected Contract: Three years, $14.5 million AAV
A late addition to the free agency party, Stefon Diggs got released by the New England Patriots a week before signings can kick off. There’s reason to understand why the Patriots parted
ways with him, with a lot of them coming off the field.
On the field, though, Diggs is still playing at an extremely high level. He finished fourth in the NFL in PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, and coming off a torn ACL in 2024, still ended the 2025 season with over 1,000 receiving yards. Teams in need of help in the passing game will still give Diggs a shot because of his overwhelming talent.
Potential Landing Spots: Titans, Commanders, 49ers
Diggs will be 33 next year. It’ll be his third team in as many years. He’s consistently surpassed 1,000 yards. To me, the production Diggs had last season was more about the Patriots not having anybody else than it was about him being some unstoppable threat. I believe the 49ers can do better on the open market. It’s also tough to determine if he’s their type.
15. WR Mike Evans – 2025 Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projected Contract: One year, $12 million AAV
Evans came back in Week 7 after missing three weeks due to a hamstring injury, but he caught none of his four targets. He then suffered an unfortunate broken clavicle in the game, which kept him out for the next five games.
Still, even with his injury-riddled 2025 and his 32 years, he’s been a star receiver his entire time in the NFL. He was a Pro Bowler in 2024 and, in 2023, led the NFL with 13 receiving touchdowns. Don’t expect a long-term deal for him, but a one-year deal with big incentives could be in play.
Potential Landing Spots: Buccaneers, Patriots, 49ers
It would be tough to turn your nose up to a player who has proven as much in this league as Evans has. He would help stretch the field for the 49ers. But the injury history is the elephant in the room that could keep Evans away from San Francisco. I’m also not convinced Evans leaves Tampa Bay.
84. WR Tyreek Hill – 2025 Team: Miami Dolphins
Having been released by the Dolphins, Tyreek Hill now finds himself an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his illustrious career. At 32 years old with declining numbers, coming off a season-ending injury, and having the risk of issues coming up off the field, he is a risky player to sign to a multi-year contract.
However, in the four games he played before getting hurt, Hill was on a 17-game pace for 1,127 receiving yards. He was a first-team All-Pro and came in second for Offensive Player of the Year voting just in 2023. A competing team could look to lure him on a one-year deal to see if he can get them over the hump.
Projected Contract: One year, $10.1 million AAV
Potential Landing Spots: Chiefs, Steelers, 49ers
Hill is toward the bottom of the list at No. 84. How much juice does Hill have left? Even if he loses a step or two, he’ll still be faster than 80 percent of the league. Still, you can ignore the likelihood of another injury. Plus, depending on the other moves the team makes, it would be better to build a core that can play for the next three to four years, not just 2026.
100. WR Hollywood Brown – 2025 Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Projected Contract: Two years, $4 million AAV
Hollywood Brown played in just two games for the Chiefs in 2024, but he recovered well from injury with a solid 2025 campaign. He caught 49 passes for 587 yards and 5 touchdowns, dropping just 1 of his 70 targets and ending up with a 104.3 targeted passer rating.
Injuries seem to have slowed Brown down a little bit, and it would be surprising to see him return to the 1,000-yard territory he achieved with the Ravens in 2021. However, he’s still a twitchy receiver who can win with speed out wide.
Potential Landing Spots: Chiefs, Raiders, 49ers
Brown is another injury-riddled wideout. At 5’9″, 170 pounds, I’m not sure how much the Niners could use him on a down-to-down basis with how frequently they ask their wide receivers to line up in condensed formations. Brown had five touchdowns last season, but it feels like he hasn’t made that much of an impact in the NFL despite being a former first-rounder.
The 49ers shouldn’t be comparing these wideouts to the ones they’ve had on the roster during the previous two seasons. They should view potential fits as how they complement Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey. Most of these names would be upgrades to Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne. But does that make them a good fit? Not necessarily.
