If San Francisco 49ers fans were thinking their injury luck was due for a big change after seeing a spry Christian McCaffrey at Organized Team Activities, they will definitely think twice following the latest news that head coach Kyle Shanahan shared. Second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall tweaked his hamstring and is unlikely to return to the field until training camp, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Since Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee, and Deebo Samuel is now playing for the Washington Commanders, the idea of a key pass-catcher not practicing again until late-July is certainly worrisome. No player wants to lose momentum after just beginning OTAs, but this setback is particularly disappointing for Pearsall after what he endured last year.

The No. 31 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft was shot during an attempted robbery near Union Square on Aug. 31. He was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition and ultimately made a full recovery. Naturally, Pearsall required extra time to get ready for in-game action and did not make his NFL debut until Oct. 20. The harrowing incident surely gave him a new perspective on life, and remarkable resolve to boot, but that does not mean another summer rehab stint will be easy.

The 49ers are trusting Pearsall and others to step up next season

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Shanahan knows how important Pearsall is to the offense, especially given the dearth of receiver options right now. The former Florida Gators star, who tallied 31 catches, 400 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 11 games for the 49ers last season, should command a sizable target share this year.

Two-time First-Team All-Pro George Kittle could be the unequivocal No. 1 option with Aiyuk's status still murky, and Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Demarcus Robinson and rookie Jordan Watkins could all factor into San Francisco's Brock Purdy-led passing attack. However, as is often the case with this unit, health will be a big question mark.

Pearsall must stay mentally strong as he begins his recovery process. The 49ers will soldier on through OTAs.