The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with a wave of injuries heading into Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk have all been ruled out, leaving the offense severely depleted.
Last week, both Pearsall and Jennings were active, but now the 49ers’ receiving corps is in rough shape. With limited options, DeMarcus Robinson and Kendrick Bourne stand out as the only legitimate wide receivers available, aside from Christian McCaffrey and tight ends Jake Tonges and Kyle Juszczyk in the passing game.
One player not being talked about enough ahead of Week 5 is Kendrick Bourne. Here’s why he’s a strong breakout candidate this week, and why fantasy owners should start him immediately.
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Kendrick Bourne Replacing the Injured Ricky Pearsall?
Looking at last week’s game, it’s clear the 49ers are stretched thin. They had six different wide receivers register receptions, including Skyy Moore, who had a target but no catch. With the passing game hanging by a thread and McCaffrey expected to carry the load again, there’s still significant opportunity up for grabs.
Pearsall and Jennings combined for nine targets last week — targets that are now available. Bourne is the most likely candidate to absorb them.
The Forgotten About Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne Connection
Despite a rough outing last week, where he had just one reception and a costly drop over the middle that could have gone for 20+ yards, Bourne is positioned for a bounce-back. His chemistry with quarterback Mac Jones is a major factor. In Jones’ last start (filling in for Brock Purdy), Bourne saw six targets, catching four for 38 yards — and that was with Pearsall still in the lineup.
Now expected to operate as the WR1 or WR2, Bourne’s familiarity with Mac Jones — dating back to their time together in New England — gives him a strong edge. In their final season with the Patriots, Bourne averaged 6.5 targets per game and ended that stretch with back-to-back touchdowns. That trust could be vital in a spot start scenario.
49ers Snap Count Percentages
Quarterbacks in unfamiliar situations often lean on players they trust. While McCaffrey will remain the focal point of the Rams’ defense and likely post another big receiving game, Bourne could quietly be the top wide receiver target.
Over the past two weeks, Bourne has played 72% and 65% of offensive snaps, respectively. That number could increase significantly this week, but even at that baseline, he’s on the field for more than half the plays.
If you’re looking for a sneaky wide receiver play or waiver-wire start for your fantasy lineup, you could do a lot worse than a newly minted WR1 with a preexisting rapport with the starting quarterback.
Kendrick Bourne Stats
Bourne had one reception on four targets for 17 yards last week against the Jaguars. In Week 3 he caught 4 of 6 targets for 38 yards and in Week 2 he caught 3 of 3 targets for 32 yards.
These stats of Bourne are nothing to write home about, but he’s going to step into that WR1/WR2 role for the 49ers and undoubtedly see the targets.
Week 5 Prediction for 49ers vs Rams
The matchup also favors Bourne. The Rams have allowed heavy volume to opposing wideouts — Michael Pittman Jr., A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith each had 9+ targets against them. If the Rams take an early lead, Bourne could benefit from garbage-time volume or simply be leaned on throughout the game.
Kendrick Bourne finishes with 5 receptions on 8 targets for 65 yards, totaling around 11 fantasy points — a solid, reliable output for Week 5.
