Aiyuk is best valued as a No. 3 receiver you should draft in Round 7 or Round 8. There are too many mouths to feed in San Francisco, but the injury history for George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Deebo Samuel suggests that may not be the case for long. Aiyuk posted career highs last year in both target share (22.6%) and yards per route run (1.91) and should remain a very efficient wide receiver as long as Brock Purdy is healthy for Week 1. We would downgrade Aiyuk a little more if Trey Lance wins the job because we would expect a more run-heavy offense with less pass volume.
Aiyuk (shoulder) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
Aiyuk has been practicing all week and might have been able to play in last week's game if the 49ers had played Sunday instead of Thursday. Deebo Samuel took advantage of Aiyuk's absence in the Week 3 win over the Giants with 126 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets, but the dual-threat receiver suffered a rib injury in the process and now is listed as questionable for Sunday's game between that and a knee injury. Facing a vulnerable defense without Samuel in the lineup is a best-case scenario for Aiyuk's expected production, though he still has sturdy touch and target competition coming from tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Remains limited Thursday
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Aiyuk (shoulder) was a limited participant at Thursday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
In the process of shedding his blue non-contact jersey Thursday, Aiyuk maintained his activity level from one day prior, giving him just one more chance to get back to full before the 49ers potentially give him a designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Cardinals. Meanwhile, fellow wide receivers Deebo Samuel (ribs/knee) and Jauan Jennings (shin) again didn't practice, so the status of San Francisco's top three wide receivers remains in flux.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Sheds non-contact jersey Thursday
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Aiyuk (shoulder) wasn't wearing a non-contact jersey at the start of Thursday's practice, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Now that Aiyuk seemingly has been cleared to take contact on the practice field, it remains to be seen if he'll log his first uncapped session since injuring his left shoulder Week 2. The 49ers will reveal his activity level later Thursday, at which point the statuses of Deebo Samuel (ribs/knee) and Jauan Jennings (shin) also could gain some clarity.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Start Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Aiyuk is going to start for Fantasy managers whether or not Samuel plays, but his upside is much brighter if Samuel rests. Be ready to start Aiyuk over Tyler Lockett, Christian Kirk and Mike Evans.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Practices on limited basis
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Aiyuk (shoulder) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
Aiyuk continued playing in the 49ers' Week 2 win over the Rams after he hurt his shoulder, but he then missed a Thursday night win over the Giants in Week 3. He was spotted on the field at the 49ers' unofficial practice Monday, and he's now listed as a limited participant on the first official injury report of Week 4. Meanwhile, fellow wideouts Deebo Samuel (ribs) and Jauan Jennings (shin) were non-participants. Aiyuk appears on track to suit up for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, with Samuel and Jennings potentially being the more banged up of the three wideouts this week.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Spotted at practice Monday
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Aiyuk (shoulder) was present for Monday's practice, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Aiyuk was inactive this past Thursday against the Giants, but his presence on the practice field Monday is a positive indicator with regard to his chances of returning to action Sunday against the Cardinals. Wednesday's official practice/injury report will add further context to the wideout's Week 4 status by clarifying his participation level.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Sitting out Thursday, as expected
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Aiyuk (shoulder) is listed as inactive Thursday against the Giants, Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site reports.
Aiyuk played through a left shoulder injury during the 49ers' Week 2 win at the Rams, handling 30 of 57 offensive snaps on his way to three catches (on six targets) for 43 yards. He proceeded to be listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimate before capping Week 3 prep with back-to-back limited listings. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Thursday afternoon that Aiyuk was unlikely to suit up versus New York, and indeed that has come to pass. With Aiyuk sidelined, Jauan Jennings is the top candidate to absorb the former's typical workload alongside Deebo Samuel, but rookie Ronnie Bell, Ray-Ray McCloud and practice-squad call-up Chris Conley also may get in the WR mix for San Francisco.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Questionable for Thursday
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Aiyuk (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Giants, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
The 49ers posted practice estimates Monday and Tuesday, which included Aiyuk as a non-participant on the first one and a limited participant on the second. He was able to play through a left shoulder injury that he suffered early on in this past Sunday's road win against the Rams, logging 52 percent of the offensive snaps en route to three catches (on six targets) for 43 yards. Aiyuk's availability Thursday will become known about 90 minutes before an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, but if he's inactive for the contest or available to play only limited snaps, Jauan Jennings and Ronnie Bell would stand to benefit behind Deebo Samuel.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Dealing with shoulder issue
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Aiyuk (shoulder) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimation, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Per Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site, a left shoulder injury kept Aiyuk out for a select number of plays during Sunday's 30-23 win over the Rams, so the wideout's status will need to be monitored as Thursday night's game against the Giants approaches. In the 30 snaps on offense (out of a possible 57) that Aiyuk logged versus Los Angeles, the 49ers' starting WR caught three of his six targets for 43 yards.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Plays through shoulder injury
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that Aiyuk suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday's win over the Rams that limited his playing time, according to 49ers' team reporter Lindsey Pallares.
Aiyuk was able to finish the game and post a final line of three catches on six targets for 43 yards. The 25-year-old suffered the shoulder injury in the first quarter and was seen being worked on by trainers at various points of contest. Aiyuk didn't appear limited when he would return to action, which is a positive sign for his availability moving forward. That said, it wouldn't be surprising to see Aiyuk's name pop up on the injury report with a Thursday matchup against the Giants on tap for Week 3.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Hauls in 35-yard pass
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Aiyuk caught one of three targets for 35 yards in Friday's preseason game against the Chargers.
Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel each accounted for three of Brock Purdy's nine pass attempts as the 49ers' starters easily made their way down the field against the Chargers' backups. Things might not look so easy Week 1 at Pittsburgh, though the cornerbacks are probably the relative weak point of an otherwise stellar Steelers defense.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Sees first action of 2023
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Aiyuk hauled in his lone target for 15 yards in Saturday's 21-20 preseason win over Denver.
Aiyuk got his first taste of action this preseason along with the rest of the starting wideouts Saturday. San Francisco also welcomed back starting quarterback Brock Purdy (elbow) from injury, who found Aiyuk for a 15-yard gain on the first-team offense's lone drive. The 2020 first-round pick blossomed into a reliable fantasy option last season after posting a career-best 78-1,015-8 receiving line across 17 games. Deebo Samuel is still the 49ers' top option at wide receiver, but Aiyuk could narrow that gap if he takes another step forward heading into the fourth and final year of his rookie contract.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: In line to play Saturday
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Aiyuk is in uniform for Saturday's preseason contest versus the Broncos, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
With Brock Purdy expected to see his first game action since he injured his right throwing elbow in last season's NFC Championship Game loss in Philadelphia, he's slated to have his top two wide receivers available in Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. In the upcoming campaign, Aiyuk will be looking to replicate his breakout 2022 in which he hauled in 78 passes for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 contests.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Struggles in divisional round
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Aiyuk had two receptions (four targets) for 26 yards in Sunday's 19-12 playoff win over the Cowboys.
Aiyuk turned in one of his worst statistical performances of the year, tying his season-low in receptions (two) while garnering his second-lowest target total (four). The 24-year-old has fallen out of favor in the playoffs with Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey dominating recent box scores. That being said, Aiyuk still possesses the fantasy potential to warrant consideration in DFS formats for the upcoming NFC Championship Game against the Eagles next Sunday.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Effective despite low usage
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Aiyuk caught three of five targets for 73 yards in Saturday's 41-23 win over Seattle.
Aiyuk took a bit of a back seat to Deebo Samuel (6-133-1), who reclaimed his No. 1 role after being eased back into the lineup in the regular-season finale. The 24-year-old Aiyuk still produced a solid fantasy line with a couple of big chunk plays, although he did drop a would-be touchdown that hit him in the hands in the corner of the end zone. Even with the 49ers returning to full strength on offense, Aiyuk should remain a consistent DFS option heading into the divisional round.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Leads team with 59 yards
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Aiyuk had four receptions (five targets) for 59 yards in Sunday's 38-13 win over Arizona.
Aiyuk was the leading receiver for San Francisco on a low-volume passing day, but it was his teammates George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey who cashed in on Brock Purdy's three touchdown throws. The 24-year-old finishes the regular season with career highs in receptions (78), receiving yards (1,015) and touchdowns (eight) across 17 games. Aiyuk welcomed back fellow starting wideout Deebo Samuel (ankle/knee) Sunday, giving the 49ers a full complement of playmakers who could go off in the playoffs.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: First 100-yard game this season
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Aiyuk had nine receptions (12 targets) for 101 yards and a touchdown while rushing once for 16 yards in Sunday's 37-34 win over the Raiders.
Aiyuk did his best Deebo Samuel (knee/ankle) impression in potentially his last game replacing his injured teammate, taking his second carry of the season for 16 yards on a designed end around. The 24-year-old also produced his first 100-yard receiving game of the season, but that's not to say that he hasn't provided consistent fantasy numbers all year long. Aiyuk will carry a healthy 74-956-8 receiving line into a favorable matchup against the Cardinals in Week 18.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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The 49ers could get Deebo Samuel (knee/ankle) back in Week 17, which is something to monitor, but if he remains out then consider Aiyuk a borderline starter in all two-receiver leagues and a must-start option in three-receiver formats. He's 145 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season, and hopefully the 49ers can get him there sooner rather than later with two games to play. He also has scored 13 PPR points in two of three starts with Brock Purdy, including five catches for 81 yards on seven targets in Week 16 against Washington.
Of course there's potential for Aiyuk to have a monster game -- he's due and the Raiders should provide a bunch of opportunities for the Niners to dunk on them. But there's also a chance he comes up a little lean, just as he has in most of his games with Purdy. I'd chance it with him over Jahan Dotson, Darius Slayton, Adam Thielen and Courtland Sutton.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Sleeper WRs
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The 49ers could get Deebo Samuel (knee/ankle) back in Week 17, which is something to monitor, but if he remains out, consider Aiyuk a borderline starter in all two-receiver leagues and a must-start option in three-receiver formats. He's 145 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season, and hopefully the 49ers can get him there sooner rather than later with two games to play. He also has scored 13 PPR points in two of three starts with Brock Purdy, including five catches for 81 yards on seven targets in Week 16 against Washington.
