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Steve Smith Sr. is not buying the idea that the San Francisco 49ers have peaked at wide receiver. If anything, he thinks Kyle Shanahan may finally have the deepest group of his tenure. That is a strong statement considering the talent the 49ers have cycled through since Shanahan took over in 2017. The timing makes it even more interesting. The 49ers are dealing with injuries elsewhere on the roster, and Brock Purdy recently admitted the offense was not sharp enough during its joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. Still, Smith sees one position group that could give the Niners a major advantage. Steve Smith Sr. Believes San Francisco 49ers Have Shanahan’s Best WR Room Smith made the bold assessment while discussing San Francisco’s current receiver room, arguing that this version has something previous Shanahan-led groups did not have: completeness. “I think this is the most complete wide receiver group Kyle Shanahan has had as the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers.” Steve Smith on the 49ers current WR room: “I think this is the most complete wide receiver group Kyle Shanahan has had as the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers.” Smith goes on to call it the best WR group Kyle has ever had with the 49ers pic.twitter.com/z321nzjtKe — Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) August 19, 2026 It’s more than just praise for one individual. Smith is basically stating that the Niners have a receiving corps of their own that can succeed in their own way, which provides Shanahan with some options in a system that is very proficient at creating big plays. The Niners have always relied a lot on players like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, while George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey have also been carrying significant weight in the passing game. The current batch provides Shanahan with yet another opportunity to divide the load without putting it on one receiver. That depth could matter with the Niners already dealing with injuries. Ricky Pearsall has been ruled out for the season with a PCL injury, while Kittle continues to work his way back from a torn Achilles. The team has also had to manage Purdy’s availability in recent seasons. Purdy himself admitted after the Chargers’ joint practice that the Niners were not at their best. The quarterback’s criticism makes Smith’s assessment more intriguing. The 49ers still have plenty to clean up before Week 1, however, the receiver room could be one area where Shanahan feels comfortable rotating pieces and creating matchup problems. San Francisco also got an encouraging look at rookie De’Zhaun Stribling during its preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans. The young receiver’s emergence could give the team another option as roster decisions approach. Meanwhile, the 49ers’ joint practice with Los Angeles was noticeably calmer than their earlier session with Robert Saleh’s Titans. Shanahan joked that Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers simply had more discipline before explaining that early incidents tend to make later confrontations worse. That contrast fits the larger picture for the 49ers. The team still has questions, especially with injuries piling up and the NFC West looking brutal again. Stephen A. Smith has even predicted San Francisco will finish third in the division. Related reading: Jacksonville Jaguars: Acquire Massive 380-Pound Blocker WATCH: Saints Player Pulls Off Wild German Suplex on Cowboys Player During Practice Brawl Jalen Hurts’ Viral Practice Moment Has Millions Saying They Were Wrong About Eagles QB Keith Carter’s Tough-Love Approach Is Already Changing the Vikings’ Offensive Line