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The San Francisco 49ers used a fourth-round pick on wide receiver Jacob Cowing, who began his college career at UTEP before spending his final two seasons with the Arizona Wildcats.
Can the 5-foot-8 wideout find a role with the 49ers? What kind of fantasy football value does Cowing have heading into his rookie season?
Below, you'll find our fantasy football rookie profile for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jacob Cowing.
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Jacob Cowing's Path to the NFL
The 23-year-old Cowing began his college career at UTEP, his only Division I offer. He was able to make an immediate impact with the Miners, catching 31 passes for 550 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman. That might not sound like much, but that 2019 UTEP team wasn't setting the world on fire as a passing attack. Three different quarterbacks attempted at least 50 passes for the team and the Miners wound up averaging just 191.0 passing yards per game. Cowing finished with 104 more receiving yards than anyone else on the team.
2020 brought some more consistency at QB, with Gavin Hardison claiming the starting role. It came with a rise in Cowing's numbers. In Year 2 with UTEP, he caught 41 passes for 691 yards, which came in just eight games in the pandemic-impacted season.
2021 was the breakout campaign for Cowing, as he caught 69 passes for 1,354 yards and seven touchdowns. His 19.6 yards per reception were the best mark of his college career and ranked third in Conference USA and 10th overall in FBS.
New 49ers WR Jacob Cowing is a YAC MACHINEpic.twitter.com/pcbWjPw9qS
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) April 27, 2024
After that, Cowing transferred to Arizona, where he almost instantly saw a major change in his role. Cowing served as a downfield threat in El Paso, but in Tucson, he became more of a chain mover. He caught 85 passes, but finished with 1,034 yards, down about 300 from his 2021 season. He still managed seven touchdowns.
His value as a short-yardage weapon was really on display this past season. Cowing set a new best mark in receptions with 90, but finished with just 848 yards, an average of 9.4 yards per reception. He also caught 13 touchdown passes. He was hugely important for the Wildcats.
What Jacob Cowing Brings to the 49ers
Looking at what Cowing did for Arizona over the last two seasons, the 49ers are getting a fast player who can make plays in the short passing game. He's a really good route runner, likely because he has experience running completely different kinds of routes between his two different collegiate stops.
The main thing he offers for San Francisco is a fast target out of the slot. Cowing is an undersized receiver who would struggle against larger NFL defensive backs, especially if they press him at the line. From the slot, he can better work the zones and find space.
You could also see some gadget plays from him, such as taking advantage of his speed by moving him into the backfield, doing some end-arounds, and plenty of quick screens -- there's a lot of really fun things you can do on a football field with a player like Cowing.
Yeah, Jacob Cowing is pretty special pic.twitter.com/oZd4eApkBn
— Adrian Broaddus (@AdrianBroaddus) August 29, 2021
Also, this has nothing really to do with his NFL prospects because it's such an outrageously fun play that he almost certainly won't be in a spot to replicate it in the league, but I just wanted to bring up one of his best plays ever, which happened back when he was at UTEP. Gavin Hardison's throw here sails a little awkwardly toward Cowing and he has to make an Odell Beckham Jr. style one-handed grab. Really acrobatic stuff that shows just how athletic Cowing is.
Path to Playing Time
Despite all the rumors, the 49ers didn't trade Brandon Aiyuk this offseason, not even after they drafted Ricky Pearsall in the first round. But that doesn't mean Aiyuk is a long-term part of this San Francisco offense. His contract status is an issue right now and it wouldn't be a surprise at all to see Aiyuk dealt at some point.
If Cowing is going to get on the field and make any kind of impact in 2024, he should be hoping for an Aiyuk trade because that opens up a lot of snaps at wide receiver.
The 49ers mostly used Jauan Jennings in the slot last season, and he was...mostly a nonentity, catching just 19 passes. If Aiyuk is on the team, we probably see Jennings and Pearsall fighting it out for snaps. If Pearsall shifts out wider, we get Jennings and Cowing battling for those slot snaps. That's a situation Cowing can win.
2024 Fantasy Football Outlook
The fantasy football outlook for Jacob Cowing relies greatly on what happens with Brandon Aiyuk.
If Aiyuk is on the roster in 2024, it's probably tough to see the path for Cowing. With Christian McCaffrey in the backfield and Deebo Samuel Sr., Aiyuk, and George Kittle all demanding targets, he's fifth at best in the pecking order (assuming he beats Jennings out). There's not really much of a path for Cowing to get targets in this scenario, so he's essentially got no value in redraft leagues.
Fifita so dope and I love Jacob Cowing so much I do not understand why people think this kid can’t ball out in the NFL
he’ll be on your fantasy team soon 🫡 pic.twitter.com/iMp5aeLfqq
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) December 29, 2023
If Aiyuk is moved, things get interesting. He's still fourth at best in the pecking order, but it makes it easier for Cowing to get onto the football field. Once you're on the field, anything can happen. I'm a huge believer in Cowing's talent.
Still, even if Aiyuk moves, it's hard to see Cowing as an option when it comes to preseason fantasy drafts. He's the WR119 in the RotoBaller rankings, sandwiched between Kalif Raymond and Cedrick Wilson Jr. In your average 12 or even 14-person league, you aren't drafting Cowing, and that's fine. You'll have a chance to grab him off waivers in the event he's able to break out.
However, in leagues with extremely deep rosters or in best ball drafts, I'd definitely recommend spending a late-round pick on Cowing if Aiyuk is moved. I'd be willing to go as early as the...18th round? That's around the point where you start drafting on a wing and a prayer, and Cowing is such an intriguing prospect that I'd take him there for the upside.
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