Lynch: Evans Unlikely for 49ers vs Raiders

Mike Evans is unlikely to play Sunday when the 49ers host the Raiders at Levi's Stadium. General manager John Lynch told KNBR on Thursday that Evans probably will not be out there, even as he stopped short of a full shutdown.

That leaves Brock Purdy without his biggest offseason addition for a second straight game after San Francisco's first loss of the season, and it puts the rest of the wide receiver room on notice against Las Vegas.

Achilles Tendinitis, Not a Quick Fix

Evans has been dealing with Achilles tendinitis that already kept him out of Week 7 against Atlanta, the 49ers' first loss. Lynch said the priority is knocking the issue out so it does not linger the way Christian McCaffrey's similar situation once did.

"That's probably likely that he won't be out there Sunday," Lynch said. "What we're really trying to do there, he's got that tendinitis that flared up, and I think you learn from the history. Christian had this situation, and every player's different, every situation's different, but you don't want it to become something that really lingers."

Lynch stressed that Evans is a competitor who is hard to hold back, and that the training staff is pulling him back at the right times so that when he returns, he can stay back and produce the way he did earlier this season.

Deebo Grouped With Him

Lynch put Evans and Deebo Samuel in the same bucket, saying the 49ers are hoping to get both playmakers back in the coming weeks. NBC Sports noted Samuel is dealing with a calf injury, and that a Week 8 bye was not enough to get Evans healthy for Week 9.

That is a rough combo for Purdy. Without Evans and Samuel, San Francisco has to lean on whoever else is available in the rotation.

Who Steps Up vs. the Raiders

Demarcus Robinson is expected back from injured reserve this week, per NBC Sports, with Christian Kirk, Jordan Watkins, and Brandin Cooks also in the mix for snaps. That is a different look than the one San Francisco built around Evans after he arrived.

Levi's Stadium on Sunday is still a home game the 49ers need after the Atlanta stumble. Getting Evans back healthy for the stretch run matters more than forcing him through one more week of tendinitis.

Smacktok pick lean: Lean higher on Demarcus Robinson's targets if he is active off IR. With Evans and Deebo both looking doubtful, the remaining wideouts should see a real bump in volume against the Raiders.

Evans changed the ceiling of this offense when he was healthy. Until that Achilles calms down, San Francisco has to win ugly without him.