# Mike Clay: Clay's 2026 statistical projections for the 49ers, as read on air: modest rookie production, a healthy but slightly reduced Christian McCaffrey workload, and Mike Evans falling short of 1,000 receiving yards. **Claimed:** May 11, 2026 **Pundit:** Mike Clay — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-clay **Outlet:** Locked On 49ers (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/locked-on-49ers-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/f9f75c/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/0a6076b9-74e2-4b01-846e-5cc0d0b8031c/episodes/60ac83f8-baa0-4f9c-9205-266a980f79fe/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=0a6076b9-74e2-4b01-846e-5cc0d0b8031c&awEpisodeId=60ac83f8-baa0-4f9c-9205-266a980f79fe&feed=P83yLSb_ 20 checkable claims — 20 player season numbers — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 10 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 8. > Mike Clay has Dajon Stripling projected to get 34 targets as the the fourth wide receiver on the 40 niners offense next year. 22 catches for 322 yards and two touchdowns. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Christian McCaffrey to record 78 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian McCaffrey to record 5 receiving tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian Kirk to record 2 receiving tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian Kirk, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mike Evans to record 57 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **De'Zhaun Stribling to record 22 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **De'Zhaun Stribling to record 2 receiving tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **De'Zhaun Stribling to record 322 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mike Evans to record 6 receiving tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Romello Height to record 0.9 sacks** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Romello Height, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian Kirk to record 337 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian Kirk, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mike Evans to record 911 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian McCaffrey to record 1,161 rushing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian McCaffrey to record 686 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brock Purdy to record 14 passing interceptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kaelon Black to record 185 rushing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brock Purdy to record 27 passing tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brock Purdy to record 4,125 passing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jordan James to record 344 rushing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Jordan James, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian McCaffrey to record 10 rushing tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian Kirk to record 24 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Christian Kirk, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Christian McCaffrey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-mccaffrey - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Christian Kirk — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-kirk - Mike Evans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mike-evans - De'Zhaun Stribling — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-zhaun-stribling - Romello Height — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/romello-height - Brock Purdy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brock-purdy - Kaelon Black — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kaelon-black - Jordan James — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jordan-james ## What others said about the same people - Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0) - Brandon Carney on Mike Evans: Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c228a7e7-4915-4bc7-bacc-8c9b3298c2c1 (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on San Francisco 49ers: Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dc43909b-bc7f-47aa-b208-5cf7c95844bc (scored 83.33) - AJ Hawk on San Francisco 49ers: Hawk said the Chiefs would beat the Jets, the Seahawks would beat the Cardinals, and the 49ers would beat the Raiders, even while taking the points with the underdogs in each case. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d20e3b12-b0ca-45f8-a14c-925af9b754bb (scored 100) - Connor Rogers on San Francisco 49ers: Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/11646f69-18dd-4831-a7de-e4115ded875c (scored 100) - Chris Simms on San Francisco 49ers: Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17eb747a-90b1-472f-bb6d-e71c0c69133a (scored 92.86) ## More player season numbers The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Andrew Erickson on James Cook: Erickson is targeting Chase Brown, Javonte Williams, Trey Benson, Ray Davis, MarShawn Lloyd, Will Shipley, Braelon Allen and Rishard Smith while fading Tyrone Tracy, Tank Bigsby and Kyren Williams, and they expect James Cook's touchdown total to settle in the eight-to-ten range. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ad6dae7d-05a5-45d1-996c-40e336adfcac (scored 66.67) - Ross Jackson on Tyler Shough: Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (scored 3.63) - Chris Broussard on Myles Garrett: Broussard expects Lamar Jackson to play well but not vintage — two touchdown passes and no picks — while Derrick Henry carries the load with over 100 rushing yards. They also take the Browns to upset the Bengals and believes Myles Garrett gets at least two sacks to break the single-season record. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a026afc-40fe-4b1f-b209-3ce53ae205d7 (scored 91.67) - Nick Wright on Myles Garrett: Wright picks the Steelers to beat the Ravens outright in Pittsburgh, takes Seattle over San Francisco, and thinks the Browns lose to Cincinnati even as Myles Garrett gets the sack record. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9a8b5cea-9f2f-46f0-9939-72c2a60e4c26 (scored 100) - Nick Wright on Myles Garrett: Nick Wright says Myles Garrett is playing at an all-time level and might reach 25 sacks this season, and among their weekly picks they expect the Bears to beat the Steelers in an ugly low-margin home win and Seattle to win comfortably at Tennessee. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/029b0090-8d3f-47de-9fb9-7f0a02320f3a (scored 84) - Rich Eisen on Micah Parsons: Eisen made a series of picks: Micah Parsons will out-sack any two Cowboys combined (after initially leaning the other way), the NFC North is more likely to produce a Super Bowl team than the NFC East, Eagles wins will outnumber Cowboys losses, Bo Nix/Courtland Sutton will out-touchdown Cam Ward/Calvin Ridley, and Marvin Harrison Jr./James Conner will beat Kamara/Olave in yards and TDs. They also picked the AFC West order and said Deion Sanders is more likely than Bill Belichick to have a winning record. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f94f8499-af74-4a8d-a688-fd08cd52bb3c (scored 56.25) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=mike-clay