San Francisco wideout Brandon Aiyuk is inching closer to returning, but fantasy managers still don’t know what they have. The former first-round pick has been rehabbing a major knee injury suffered midway through last season, and his absence continues to hang over both the 49ers’ offense and fantasy football lineups.
Brandon Aiyuk Injury
Aiyuk went down in Week 7 of 2024 against Kansas City with a torn ACL and MCL, an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. He opened this season on the active PUP list before being shifted to reserve, forcing him to miss at least four games.
When Will Brandon Aiyuk Be Back?
According to 49ers GM John Lynch, Aiyuk is “not close” to returning. Adam Schefter reports that more damage was discovered beyond the ACL, meaning his rehab timeline has extended further. This news pushes back expectations for his activation, making any Week 5 or Week 6 return increasingly unlikely. If there are no setbacks, he could make his debut in late October. Any hiccups could extend his absence, which makes it tough for fantasy owners banking on him as an every-week starter.
Brandon Aiyuk Fantasy Outlook
Before the injury, Aiyuk had posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and was clearly emerging as the 49ers’ most dependable wide receiver. With Deebo Samuel no longer on the team, Aiyuk could see his role get significantly expanded once he finally gets healthy. Owners are going to have to remain patient as no one knows how long it will take the 49ers to work him back into a normal role.
There is also a lingering issue of whether Aiyuk will have his starting QB. Brock Purdy has been dealing with a toe ailment and an AC joint sprain, missing the last two games for San Francisco. He is projected to return next Sunday, but it is still unknown for now.
Bottom Line
Still, if you’re a fantasy manager with the roster space to stash him, Aiyuk has league-winning upside for the second half of the year. In 2023, he had a fully healthy year, and he was the 10th-best receiver in fantasy football. With the lack of receiver depth the Niners have this year, that could easily put Aiyuk into the WR1 range when he is healthy.
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