"As part of his duties as a member of the 49ers' practice squad this season, rookie wide receiver Joe Hastings has assumed the jersey number and playing style of a wideout San Francisco's secondary would face that week.

This week, it appears Hastings, who has portrayed receivers such as Detroit's Calvin Johnson and Philadelphia's Jeremy Maclin, will finally get to play himself.

On Wednesday, a day after the 49ers released Braylon Edwards, coach Jim Harbaugh said the team probably will fill the roster spot with one of two in-house candidates, practice-squad wideouts Hastings and John Matthews. After Harbaugh spoke, Matthews indicated Hastings would earn the promotion.

"I think Joe's the guy who's the next man up," Matthews said.

Hastings, 6-foot and 185 pounds, has been with the 49ers since training camp after catching 87 passes for 1,546 yards and earning third-team Little All-American honors last year at Division II Washburn University.

But even if Hastings plays in his first NFL game on Sunday at St. Louis, there's no guarantee he'll remain on the active roster in the postseason."