Demarcus Robinson
Robinson is a reserve-level 49ers receiver who is out until at least Week 7 and more likely back after the Week 8 bye. He fills in on the depth chart when other receivers are hurt.
Role
No snap share or target share is available for his return. Before the injury he had moved up to No. 3 wideout after rookie De'Zhaun Stribling had ankle surgery (SF Chronicle, Sept. 20). In the first five-plus quarters of the season he caught 5 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Rotowire says his weekly projection is a reserve role and that his usage on return depends on the health of the other receivers. The SF Chronicle named Deebo Samuel, Jacob Cowing and KhaDarel Hodge as the three wideouts left on the game-day roster once Robinson and Mike Evans left the Dolphins game. I did not read a current depth chart, so I can't say where he sits now. Ricky Pearsall is also reported injured, but I have no current status for him.
The 49ers are short at receiver. Robinson looked sharp before he got hurt and had chemistry with Brock Purdy, and he had a 6-111-1 game in last season's wild-card win over Philadelphia (Rotowire). If the receiver injuries continue, he could hold a No. 3 role again.
He is 32 and coming off a high ankle sprain, so he may come back slowly. Rotowire expects a reserve role in a normal week, and a 2025 line of 22-276-1 shows limited volume. As other receivers return, he could drop back down the depth chart. His 2025 Rams season had a low target rate, and much of his work was clear-out routes.
Where analysts split
The disagreement is about the timeline and how many targets he gets once back. Shanahan gave Week 7 only an "outside chance" and called the post-bye return more likely. I found no analyst split beyond that, and the open question is whether he returns to a No. 3 role or a backup one when Stribling, Evans and Pearsall are healthy.
Injury: IR: assessed avoid
High-ankle sprain, IR, eyeing Week 9 return
Still on IR with expected return 11/08, targeting Week 9 against Las Vegas after the bye; not usable until he's actually back and his snap share is unknown.
What would change this: Confirmation of activation off IR and actual snap/target share in his first game back
Research confidence: thin. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at WR
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