Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing set for golden opportunity they might not get again

If the 49ers take the sensible, long-term approach, then they will not have Mike Evans available for their Week 7 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons after his Achilles issue flared up in their Monday Night Football win over the Washington Commanders.

San Francisco is shorn of wide receiver depth due to a remarkable cluster of injuries at the position, and the 49er passing game was ineffective without Evans after he left the game against the Commanders.

Evans has developed a superb rapport with Brock Purdy, serving as a devastatingly effective easy button for the San Francisco quarterback.

The future Hall of Famer’s connection with Purdy is likely to be critical down the stretch and in the postseason as the 49ers aim to realize their Super Bowl aspirations and, as such, there is little reason for San Francisco to risk a serious injury to Evans by pushing him to play against the Falcons when they are 6-0 with a three-game lead in the NFC West.

Though the 49ers look likely to be without Evans, they could get a boost with the return of Christian Kirk from the calf issue that has kept him out for the entire season to this point.

But it is perhaps a tad ambitious to expert Kirk to hit the ground running right off the bat and, in Evans’ potential absence, the passing game will most likely predominantly go through tight end George Kittle.

Yet the dearth of other options would also leave the Falcons game as a golden opportunity for Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing to impress and stake a claim for a larger amount of offensive snaps going forward.

Both Cowing (2024) and Watkins (2025) came into the league as fourth-round picks with skill sets that suggested they could be dynamic options in the Kyle Shanahan offense. Yet their potential in that regard has remained largely untapped.

Cowing and Watkins each displayed speed and route-running craft in college that figured to translate well to the NFL level. However, they have each seen injuries check their progress. After playing only a peripheral role in 2024, Cowing lost an entire season to injury in 2025, when a preseason high-ankle sprain curtailed the ascent Watkins was seemingly enjoying as a rookie.

Heading into Week 7, Cowing and Watkins each have just five catches each in their respective careers. Cowing has only 89 yards to his name, while Watkins has 108, with the former seemingly on thin ice in his role as a return man having muffed a punt in the win over the Seattle Seahawks before making an ill-advised decision to return one from the four-yard line in the defeat of the Commanders.

After Evans again missed practice on Thursday, it seems highly likely Watkins and Cowing will have prominent roles to play regardless of Kirk’s involvement.

It is an opportunity neither can afford to waste, as they may not get another this season. While Evans’ Achilles issue will need to be managed throughout the year, he will be expected to return in Week 9 if he does indeed miss the Falcons game. Deebo Samuel is also expected back after the bye, though rookie De’Zhaun Stribling will have to wait a little longer to make his return from the ankle injury suffered in the season opener. In other words, they will each be down the pecking order again soon.

From Watkins at least, there have been some encouraging flashes of promise this season, the former Ole Miss wideout making catches of 34 and 26 yards in the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals and doing an excellent job overcoming physical coverage to make a 22-yard reception against the Commanders.

Watkins has also displayed admirable commitment as a run blocker this season, with his effort in that area of the game likely a reason why he has been trusted to play 45 percent of the offensive snaps so far in 2026.

Asked why Watkins hasn’t had more targets, quarterback Brock Purdy replied on Thursday:

“Honestly, it has nothing to do with not trying to get him the ball or anything. I think that’s just sort of how the game’s gone. He’s definitely a playmaker. He’s done that since he’s got here. And it’s just been tough with him getting opportunities when we have like [WR] Mike Evans, [WR] Demarcus Robinson, [TE] George [Kittle], [RB] Christian [McCaffrey], like other guys too and he’s trying to get in that mix. But, he’s been consistent. He’s been a guy that has stayed faithful to this whole process. And now he’s getting a shot and opportunity. So, I feel like we will over time. Hopefully this game too, I can get him the ball. Watching the film, that’s definitely a guy that I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’d love to get the ball to him.’ He’s shown flashes and glimpses of not even just catching the ball, but making plays after the catch too or getting YAC after the catch. So, I feel you on that and that’s something that I watch and I want to have our connection get better and better, but has nothing to do with not trying to give him the ball or anything like that.”

Of the two, Watkins seems the more likely to have success in carving out a long-term role in the offense. Cowing was put the behind the 8-ball by his lost 2025 and has not caught up, with his stock at a low ebb amid his questionable performance as a returner.

But if either is going to have a compelling case for being involved in the offense once the likes of Evans and Samuel return, then they need to make the most of the chance that looks set to come their way on Sunday.

There is concern about how the 49er passing game will look without Evans in Atlanta. If either Cowing or Watkins can ensure it still succeeds, then it would serve as a great boost to their long-term prospects and the depth of the 49er receiving corps.