Coach Kyle Shanahan said Pettis played into the fourth quarter of Saturday's preseason win over the Chiefs because he's still in the process of competing for a role, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports. "He's still trying to earn a role on this team and still is trying to show what he's capable of doing ... consistently," Shanahan said.
Shanahan made similar comments a couple weeks back, noting that Pettis would need to earn his starting job. The second-year wideout has been used as a starter throughout the preseason, but he also played deep into Saturday's contest, ultimately catching three of five targets for 36 yards (his only receptions all preseason). Given the way he finished his rookie year, Pettis still seems likely to have spot in the Week 1 starting lineup, though he'll apparently be on a short leash if he doesn't recover from a disappointing summer. The 49ers have a slew of other options at wide receiver, with eight players making a decent case for a spot on the 53-man roster. Trent Taylor's foot injury thins out the competition a bit, but San Francisco still has Marquise Goodwin, Deebo Samuel, Jordan Matthews, Jalen Hurd (back), Kendrick Bourne and Richie James.