49ers' Mike Evans may be game-time decision vs. Falcons

Shortly after San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans was unable to finish the club's 23-17 home win over the Washington Commanders this past Monday night, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed how Evans has been dealing with Achilles tendonitis but nevertheless could be available for San Francisco's game at the 2-4 Atlanta Falcons this coming Sunday. 

During a Thursday appearance on San Francisco Bay Area radio station KNBR, 49ers general manager John Lynch declined to say that Evans will "not likely" play at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

Mike Evans "TBD" for Falcons game

"I think it's still TBD," Lynch said about Evans' status for the Week 7 clash, per David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "We've got a couple of more days. We're going to take every bit of those to try to ascertain where Mike's at. He's done a really good job treating this thing, and obviously, we know of Mike's toughness."

The 49ers enter their bye week after the Falcons game, so some have speculated that Evans could remain inactive and try to get right for San Francisco's Week 9 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 8. As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 49ers as 2.5-point road favorites over the Falcons.

That said, ESPN's Nick Wagoner noted that the Niners had three consecutive three-and-outs in the fourth quarter and scored only three points after halftime of the Washington game when Evans was ruled out. Previously, Evans had recorded three receptions for 94 yards against the Commanders. 

"So, we'll let these next couple of days play out and make a decision when we have to," Lynch continued. "Mike's that type of player that you wait, you let the process play itself out, and we'll see where we're at at the end of the week."

Are 49ers worried about Mike Evans beyond the Falcons game? 

ESPN stats show that Evans heads into this weekend leading the 49ers with 39 targets and 420 receiving yards on the season. He's also second on the team with 27 receptions and tied for second with three touchdown grabs. 

Such numbers show how important he has been for the 2026 49ers, and Lynch seems to believe the club can help Evans manage this issue. 

"Not fun — just kind of nagging," Lynch added about Evans' Achilles tendonitis. "And so, we're doing our best to kind of alleviate that from Mike so he can go play the fantastic football he has."