49ers add former Rams player to roster

The San Francisco 49ers are making another adjustment to their wide receiver group after opening the 2026 season with a 27-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. The move comes as San Francisco prepares for its home opener and manages a position group already affected by injuries.

The 49ers entered the week with several experienced receivers available, but the loss of a promising young player has created an immediate need for additional depth. San Francisco placed De’Zhaun Stribling on injured reserve after he suffered a left ankle injury against the Rams.

The roster change also gives San Francisco another player with NFL experience who already contributed during the opening game. That contribution came primarily on special teams, where he made an impact despite seeing only limited offensive action against his former team.

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KhaDarel Hodge promoted after two tackles against Rams

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that the 49ers are promoting wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge to the active roster.

Fowler wrote that Hodge was a practice squad elevation against the Rams and recorded two tackles in Australia.

Hodge played one offensive snap and 12 special-teams snaps in the opener, according to the NFL transaction and game data. His two tackles came on kick coverage, giving San Francisco an early indication of how he can contribute while the receiving corps deals with injuries.

The 32-year-old originally signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has since played for the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons, appearing in 118 regular-season games with 67 receptions for 1,026 yards and two touchdowns.

KhaDarel Hodge adds experience to 49ers receiver room

Hodge’s promotion follows the 49ers placing Stribling on injured reserve. The rookie wide receiver suffered a deltoid sprain in his left ankle against Rams and is expected to miss at least a month, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Surgery remains a possibility, although it was not initially planned.

49ers already has Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins available at receiver, while Christian Kirk remains on injured reserve. Evans led the group with 48 snaps against the Rams, followed by Robinson with 40 and Samuel with 26.

Hodge now moves from a temporary game-day elevation into a permanent active-roster role, giving Kyle Shanahan another experienced option for both receiver depth and special teams. The 49ers will host the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, with Hodge entering the matchup as part of the active roster.

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