It’s unlikely we’ll see the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan make any major schematic changes to their offense any time soon.
However, their injury issues have forced some players to jump into bigger roles and perhaps make a case for more playing time even after the injury situation improves.
No player embodied the ‘next man up’ mentality more than wide receiver Jauan Jennings in Week 3. With no Deebo Samuel at wide receiver and no George Kittle at tight end, Jennings played a career-high 60 snaps and turned in a remarkable 11-catch, 175-yard, three-touchdown performance.
His outing brought up questions about how the 49ers would navigate the WR position when Samuel was healthy since they so often run two-receiver sets that leave Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk on the field. Shanahan was asked in a press conference Friday about the possibility of using more 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end) in lieu of their typical 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end). He said that drastic change is unlikely, but more Jennings is a possibility.
“I’m always comfortable with Jauan,” Shanahan said. “But our, if we’re not going 11, it has nothing to do with always trying to get our best 11 people out there. Jauan, I think, has been one of our best 11 people since he’s been here. That usually more has to do with advantages of 21-personnel and things like that. But it’s a good problem to have. I want to get Jauan out there more. He’s that type of player. It doesn’t always mean that you go totally different with your scheme and everything, but you can always rotate him in more too.”
Jennings has acquitted himself well every time he’s stepped into any kind of role with the 49ers. Utilizing him more may allow the club to keep Samuel and Kittle healthier down the stretch of the season. Jennings doesn’t have a ton of miles on his body, and he’s a big, physical receiver who is excellent at pulling down contested catches. He’s also flashed some run-after-the-catch ability during his career.
It’s unlikely we’ll see another game any time soon where Jennings is getting 10-plus targets while Samuel, Aiyuk and Kittle are all healthy. We can and should see more of him though considering how effective he is when he steps on the field. Don’t be surprised if his snap counts start to creep up and his production becomes a little more consistent.
