49ers rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing appeared poised to play an increased role in the offense.

Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL against the Chiefs, with Cowing filling in nicely. He was surely going to get some opportunities against the Cowboys, especially with the new absence of Jauan Jennings. Well, that wasn’t the case at all. Cowing was a non-factor for the 49ers offense.

First-round pick Ricky Pearsall was the star rookie, which isn’t surprising. He was drafted high, so the 49ers need to move him forward. But the fact that Cowing didn’t even receive a single target was telling. He only saw 12 snaps on offense, which is fewer than Ronnie Bell (15). Even Bell saw a target.

Under no circumstances should Bell see more snaps and targets than Cowing. Bell is the guy who factored in the loss to the Rams. He also took into account one of Brock Purdy’s interceptions against the Chiefs. The 49ers need to use Cowing more, especially against Bell.

It makes no sense for the 49ers to dress Bell again. All he does is make plays that negatively impact the 49ers. One has to wonder if Kyle Shanahan is doing this on purpose to make things more difficult for the offense. That’s the only explanation why Bell is still seeing playing time.

They have a much better receiver in Cowing. He can help the 49ers close the hole left by Aiyuk a little. He has speed and excellent road running skills, especially on double moves. This was on display against the Chiefs when he dusted off his defender to get open for a 41-yard catch. It was a catch that should have been a touchdown if Purdy had been able to run it more.

Regardless, Cowing showed more against the Chiefs than Bell has shown his entire career. The 49ers drafted Cowing in the fourth round for a reason. They immediately saw the talent he had to bring. They just need to give him opportunities.

Stop playing Bell and increase Cowing playing time. One player proved to keep the offense going, while the other made solid contributions. I think it’s easy to say which player is the one the 49ers should move forward with.

Learn more: How the 49ers should use their running backs