The San Francisco 49ers are hobbling into Atlanta with an uncertain receiver group. Mike Evans hasn’t been ruled out, but I still believe he won’t be available on Sunday. Today is the day to find out, once the final injury report is released. Christian Kirk is trending toward playing, but the top four receivers on Sunday could be Kirk, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Watkins, and Jacob Cowing. Not exactly striking fear in opposing defenses’ hearts.
Each week, we ask which players the 49ers could use on offense
and defense from their opponents. It’s the Falcons’ turn.
Offense: WR Drake London
Bijan Robinson is the belle of the ball. The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey, so adding Robinson doesn’t advance the roster. Kyle Pitts is up and down, but a pairing with George Kittle could be intriguing. Still, the answer is Drake London. Adding another big X receiver to pair with Mike Evans is game over for any defense. Of course, this move is impossible, but we are running a hypothetical exercise here.
London and Evans as a duo is as good as it gets in the NFL: two receivers with a huge catch radius. Just think of the possibilities for Brock Purdy with both receivers. Game over. A guy can dream.
Defense: DT Gervon Dexter Sr.
If you asked this question during the offseason, the answer would have been safety Jessie Bates. Now, the 49ers’ safety situation is so solid, there’s no need for Bates. Maybe you’d say, AJ Terrell? Unfortunately, he is injured, and the cornerback duo of Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green is solid enough.
The 49ers defensive tackle situation has completely flipped from last season. Gracen Halton, Osa Odighizuwa, and Sebastian Valdez have been a vast improvement over the group from 2025. Adding Dexter Sr. would give the 49ers a fierce rotation at defensive tackle. The former Chicago Bear is second in the NFL for interior defensive linemen with a 13.1% pressure rate. Through six games, the defensive tackle is well on his way to shattering his career-high pressure total of 43.
Which two players would you choose from Atlanta? Did I get it right or wrong? Let us know in the comments.
