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The one trait that impresses the 49ers most about Ricky Pearsall
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1). Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers' standout performer from Week 3 belonged to wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.

The first-rounder produced 117 yards on just 8 receptions, and without his contribution, it’s unlikely the 49ers would have prevailed in their first home game of the season.

His season keeps getting better, and amidst all the injuries surrounding the offense, he’s found ways to exploit every defense he’s faced. His rapid development in just his second season brings confidence.

Kubiak explains why Pearsall's stamina is hugely valuable

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Despite the adversity he encountered in his rookie season, including facing the unknown and enduring very dark moments, he showed impressive strength to come back swinging.

The data backs it up and the coaches' praise only reinforces his remarkable progress.

But this key aspect of his game went unnoticed in Week 3, with offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak highlighting his stamina as worthy of admiration.

"Yeah, it's extremely impressive. It's one of those things you don't even realize until the game's over and it's pretty rare for a receiver to play that many snaps," Kubiak shared to reporters on Thursday.

"But, it's just a testament to him, how he works, how he's been stacking practices and building up his conditioning. I think it's also a testament to his mental proponent to the game and how he prepares and he doesn't miss anything.

"He doesn't need to come out of the game for any reason. He's ready for all situations, so it makes Ricky a really good player. So, really proud of him for doing that in the game and he wants to be out there.

"So, he's got kind of that [RB] Christian McCaffrey mindset where he doesn't want to come out of the game."

Pearsall's absence on Wednesday was a warning

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Pearsall’s stamina may be a huge advantage, but it’s important to ensure he isn’t worn down like Christian McCaffrey was during his heavy usage.

He missed Wednesday's practice due to a knee injury, but he featured on Thursday. He shared with 49ers on SI he felt a "little bit of soreness" on the day, but he will more than likely feature against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

As Jauan Jennings continues to recover from an ankle injury and Brandon Aiyuk faces an extended absence, the 49ers can’t afford to lose their top-performing receiver at any time.

Let this be treated as a warning, considering George Kittle's absence, too.

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This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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