Still No Timetable For Brandon Aiyuk

What They're Saying

Wagoner: “The 49ers still don’t know for sure when wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be back from the knee injury he suffered in Week 7 last season. That injury wasn’t just a standard ACL and MCL tear, and the rehab is a bit more involved because of it.”

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

It was always expected that Aiyuk would miss the start of the season, but it sure sounds like he could be sidelined for much longer. In his absence, WRs Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall will play huge roles, along with the usual contributions from RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle.

Following Aiyuk’s Week 7 ACL tear, Jennings became the focal point of the San Francisco passing attack. From Week 10 on, Jennings averaged 8.6 targets and 14.1 PPR points per game and posted a 25% target share, the eighth-highest mark in the league during that stretch. He developed quite the rapport with QB Brock Purdy, especially on third down, where he earned 27.5% of the team’s targets. After ranking 11th in yards per route run (2.45), Jennings is set to build off his career year in 2025. 

Then there’s Pearsall, who didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 7 but flashed late-season potential. His true breakout didn’t come until Week 17 when he hauled in 8-of-10 targets for 141 yards and a TD. During the final two weeks of the year, Pearsall averaged 10 opportunities per game, seeing a few rushing attempts along the way. With Samuel gone, Pearsall could inherit some of Samuel’s weekly rushes, while his early-season role without Aiyuk should be strong. 

Both San Francisco wideouts have top-30 fantasy football upside.