San Francisco 49ers second-year receiver Jordan Watkins has gone from no targets to a real role in the team’s receiver rotation, and general manager John Lynch says he isn’t giving it up.
Watkins, 24, caught four passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, all of which were game-highs. For the season, he has 10 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown. That came after back-to-back games against the Broncos and Seahawks without a target.
But now that Watkins proved he can make plays with the ball, it sounds like his role will grow moving forward.
Lynch told KNBR’s "Murph & Marcus" on Thursday that Watkins’ path took patience. San Francisco drafted him at No. 138 overall in the fourth round of the 2025
NFL Draft out of Ole Miss, but he barely played as a rookie in 2025.
Lynch said Watkins had a conversation with head coach Kyle Shanahan about focusing on the little things, and that his work in the run game and on special teams got him on the field.
“Someone needs to block the defensive ends,” Lynch said. “I am so proud of Jordan Watkins, because he really persevered."
Even with Keenan Allen now in the building, as well as the eventual returns of Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, Lynch doesn't think Watkins' role will shrink because of how well he's played in recent games.
“It will be difficult to get Jordan off the field now, because he has earned that right,” Lynch said. “He deserved it.”
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers GM says young WR has ‘earned that right' to a bigger role
