The San Francisco 49ers are on a roll right now coming off three straight victories.

However, if the Niners are going to make the playoffs and be able to make a run, they are going to need wide receiver Ricky Pearsall to step up.

Pearsall has just played three games after coming back from his knee injury and he hasn’t done much. He has just five catches on nine targets for 20 yards. 

Obviously, there is going to be some rust coming off his injury, but Pearsall is going to have to step it up going forward. He is the key element that San Francisco’s offense is missing right now.

Obviously, running back Christian McCaffrey does it all. He can run the ball, catch the ball, and is the centerpiece of the offense. Tight end George Kittle is a potent pass-catching threat, and Jauan Jennings is still a great third-down threat for quarterback Brock Purdy.

The one thing the offense could use is a more explosive receiver who can get down the field and make big plays. That used to be Brandon Aiyuk, but he is coming off a major knee injury, and given the current acrimonious relationship between him and the 49ers, it would be surprising to see him play for the team again. 

Pearsall can be that deep threat who can challenge opposing defenses and give them something to think about. We know the Niners do not push the ball down the field a lot, but it is important to keep opponents honest by throwing deep every now and then so the offense does not get too predictable.

He may not be at 100 percent with the knee the same way that Purdy is not at full health with his toe. But if Pearsall is healthy enough to get down the field and make some big plays like he and Purdy did in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, that could change everything.

If the Niners are going to be a threat going forward, their offense is going to have to be firing on all cylinders. With how banged up the defense is, that unit cannot be relied upon to limit opponents week after week.

The offense is going to have to carry its weight going forward, and having a healthy and effective Pearsall will be key.Â