SANTA CLARA, Calif. AP - Any contribution the San Francisco 49ers got from receiver Ricky Pearsall last season was viewed as a positive after his rookie campaign got derailed when he got shot in the chest a week before the opener.
The 49ers are counting heavily on Pearsall this season as they need him to elevate his performance in year two after they traded away Deebo Samuel and are expecting to be without Brandon Aiyuk for most of the first half of the season.
"To be honest, I'm approaching it the same exact way," Pearsall said. "Whether those guys are in the room or not, that's just how I look at myself. I just got to be able to step in that role. That's just how I look at it."
Pearsall is one of several second-year players being counted on for major breakthroughs this season. The flashes they showed as rookies now need to lead to more consistent performances this season.
Here's a look at some of the top breakout candidates: