Kyle Shanahan shares encouraging Mike Evans injury update after 49ers' win over Commanders

While the San Francisco 49ers earned a 23-17 home win over the Washington Commanders that improved the 49ers to 6-0 on Monday night, the 49ers suffered a significant scare when wide receiver Mike Evans aggravated a lingering Achilles injury late in the game's second quarter.

Following his team's victory, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that San Francisco avoided a catastrophe regarding Evans' setback. 

Mike Evans seemingly avoided "long-term" Achilles issue

"It’s something that he’s had before," Shanahan said about Evans' injury, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "It’s something that bothered him throughout the week. So when you have Achilles tendonitis like he does, it kind of is what it is. Flared up tonight. I hope he recovers throughout the week, but you don’t think it’s a long-term thing. It almost cost him this game and ended up costing him two quarters, and hopefully he’ll be able to play next week. But if not, we’ll have to have the rest of the group step up and hopefully get him healed up by after the bye week."

The 49ers next play at the 2-4 Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 25. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had San Francisco as a 3.5-point road favorite for that game. 

The 49ers will enter their bye week following the matchup versus the Falcons. Thus, San Francisco could sit Evans this coming weekend so that he can get right for the 49ers' Week 9 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 8.

Brock Purdy confident in teammates if Mike Evans has to miss time

The 49ers held a 20-3 lead over the Commanders when Evans was officially ruled out after he had tallied three receptions for 94 yards in the prime-time game. Per ESPN's Nick Wagoner, the Niners had three consecutive three-and-outs in the fourth quarter and scored only three points after halftime of Monday's contest.

"Obviously, he's one of our best playmakers," 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy said about Evans. "You want to get the ball to him as much as you can, and what he brings to the table with making plays and sort of what defenses have to do to respect him. ...It sucks having him go down, but I still believe in the guys that had to step up and make plays for us."

As noted by ESPN stats, Evans ended Monday evening leading the 49ers with 39 targets and 420 receiving yards on the season. He's second on the team with 27 receptions and tied for second with three touchdown catches.