Tanner Mordecai was waived by the San Francisco 49ers after a rough preseason loss to Denver, finishing 3-of-6 for 21 yards with an interception and 15 rushing yards as the third quarterback behind Mac Jones and Carter Bradley. San Francisco quickly responded by drafting Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, ratcheting up QB competition in the room. The move occurred alongside Ameer Abdullah’s IR designation, which cleared space for the club to sign running back Jeff Wilson Jr. and defensive end Trevis Gipson. Mordecai, who starred at SMU and Wisconsin, flashed professional tools at times in college but now faces an uphill climb to land elsewhere in the NFL or beyond. The 49ers’ quarterback room is clearly getting deeper and more competitive as they push toward the 2025 season.

Brandon Aiyuk could be back by Week 6 for the 49ers, a timeline that would instantaneously inflate San Francisco’s aerial ceiling after a torn ACL/MCL ended his 2023 campaign in Week 7 against Kansas City. Aiyuk posted 1,342 yards in 2023 and showed a clear connection with Brock Purdy when healthy. His return would re-establish SF’s air-ground balance as Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Purdy all enter training camp healthy, with Jeff Wilson providing veteran backfield insurance.

The 49ers just added depth at running back with Wilson, which could smooth the offense as Aiyuk ramps up. Even with Wilson’s addition, SF’s pass game remains anchored by McCaffrey’s versatility and Kittle’s target density, making Aiyuk a high-upside, mid-round fantasy asset if he hits Week 6 full-speed. Purdy’s efficiency could rise with another trustworthy weapon on the outside, elevating SF’s weekly floor in a tough NFC.

Fantasy managers should monitor Aiyuk’s rehab progress and any early camp reports on his workload ramp. If Week 6 is on track, a few target-heavy games could anchor playoff rosters, especially against teams with weaker secondaries. The Chiefs reappeared as a reminder of Aiyuk’s ceiling in big matchups, but the broader takeaway is a healthier SF offense and a potential top-20 fantasy WR when he’s fully integrated.

San Francisco keeps mixing and clarifying its roster in a brisk summer of moves. Abdullah lands on season-ending IR after a preseason injury, while Mordecai is waived again as the 49ers lean into their quarterback depth and return-to-form plan. Andre Dillard is activated off PUP, setting up a run of preseason reps. Jeff Wilson Jr. returns to town, reuniting with a backfield that already features Christian McCaffrey, who will again shoulder a heavy workload if he stays healthy. Brock Purdy’s blockbuster extension locks in the offensive core, with Mac Jones backing him up as a seasoned veteran. The pattern suggests more changes are coming as the team remains all-in on maximizing its 2025 outlook. Bills, Dolphins, and Patriots figure into the surrounding fantasy calculus as ancillary but meaningful references, underscoring how interconnected the league has become. The 49ers’ offseason shuffling signals a stronger, more versatile attack with McCaffrey healthy, Purdy protected, and a few unknowns primed to emerge in preseason and the early season.