Aiyuk had four receptions (five targets) for 43 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to Minnesota. Aiyuk was limited to five targets for the second consecutive week but saw his production increase against the Vikings compared to last week's two-catch dud against the Jets. The star wideout's low involvement was foreshadowed by head coach Kyle Shanahan prior to Week 1 after Aiyuk missed the entirety of the preseason schedule while in search of a contract extension. Dual-threat superstar Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) was placed on injured reserve prior to Sunday's tilt and will be missing in action for the first six games of the season. Deebo Samuel (8/110/0) and George Kittle (7/76/1) have picked up the slack in the passing game while Aiyuk continues to reintegrate into the game plan. The 49ers have thrown just one touchdown pass through two games this season, so a Week 3 matchup against the Rams could be when we see Aiyuk break out of his early-season slump.
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Aiyuk had four receptions (five targets) for 43 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to Minnesota. Aiyuk was limited to five targets for the second consecutive week but saw his production increase against the Vikings compared to last week's two-catch dud against the Jets. The star wideout's low involvement was foreshadowed by head coach Kyle Shanahan prior to Week 1 after Aiyuk missed the entirety of the preseason schedule while in search of a contract extension. Dual-threat superstar Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) was placed on injured reserve prior to Sunday's tilt and will be missing in action for the first six games of the season. Deebo Samuel (8/110/0) and George Kittle (7/76/1) have picked up the slack in the passing game while Aiyuk continues to reintegrate into the game plan. The 49ers have thrown just one touchdown pass through two games this season, so a Week 3 matchup against the Rams could be when we see Aiyuk break out of his early-season slump.
Aiyuk had two receptions (on five targets) for 28 yards in Monday's 32-19 win over the Jets. Head coach Kyle Shanahan foreshadowed that Aiyuk would see a limited role after missing the entire preseason waiting out his contract dispute with the front office. The 2020 first-round pick still saw five targets and did well on a per-touch basis, so fantasy managers shouldn't panic over the Week 1 dud. Better days will be ahead for Aiyuk and the passing game, potentially starting with Sunday's matchup against Minnesota.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday he'd be "surprised" if Aiyuk saw a full workload in the season opener Monday against the Jets, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. That's about as direct of coach speak as you can ask for, and it makes some sense given Aiyuk missed the majority of August practices before ending his hold-in with a four-year, $120 million extension signed 10 days ago. The difficult part to decipher is how much of a workload Aiyuk will receive if it's not the "full" amount and it's more complicating considering Monday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. That the contest is against the vaunted Jets defense and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who himself just signed a recent extension, only recently returned from his holdout, it might be prudent to avoid using Aiyuk in fantasy if managers have other capable options.
The 49ers and Aiyuk reached an agreement on a four-year, $120 million extension Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The long offseason and preseason saga surrounding Aiyuk has now reached its conclusion, with the wide receiver reportedly getting $76 million in guaranteed money to stay in the Bay Area. Now that he's locked in with the 49ers for the foreseeable future, he'll be looking to uphold his standard as a 1,000-yard option in San Francisco's offense, something that he's accomplished in both of the past two campaigns.
Aiyuk is not present at Thursday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports. Aiyuk's absences were a mainstay of training camp for the 49ers, but it's notable for him to still be a non-participant after coach Kyle Shanahan offered hope Wednesday that the wideout would practice soon. Shanahan also stated Wednesday that Aiyuk has been cleared by team doctors, which could be an indication that San Francisco will consider implementing fines if the 2020 first-round pick's participation level doesn't change. With under two weeks remaining until the 49ers' regular-season opener against the Jets, a resolution to Aiyuk's situation should come soon, no matter the outcome.
Aiyuk was not present at the portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media, though head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he's hopeful that the wideout will resume participating soon, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports. Shanahan noted Wednesday that Aiyuk has been "cleared by our doctors," per David Lombardi of The Athletic. However, Aiyuk looks like he could be continuing his "hold in" while he seeks a contract extension. While it's notable that Aiyuk is officially healthy enough to practice after having contended with neck and back discomfort during training camp, his lack of a long-term deal clearly remains the true hurdle. The 49ers now have under two weeks remaining before the Sept. 9 season-opening matchup against the Jets, and Aiyuk has yet to practice with the team this summer.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested Wednesday that Aiyuk (contract dispute) could resume practicing soon, noting that he wideout has been "cleared by our doctors," David Lombardi of The Athletic reports. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports that Aiyuk had back and neck injuries during training camp, although the wideout's absence from practice this summer largely has been attributed to a contract dispute (and subsequent trade request). The contract is clearly the bigger issue, and there doesn't seem to be any question that Aiyuk currently is healthy enough to practice -- something he's yet to do this summer. Shanahan said he hopes to have Aiyuk practicing later Wednesday, but it's unclear if that's wishful thinking or a realistic goal.
49ers GM John Lynch said Thursday that he has no update on Aiyuk but remains in contact with the wide receiver, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. It's the offseason drama with no end, although at some point it might become slightly less complicated due to other teams losing interest in a trade (or at least giving San Francisco a deadline). The Steelers were thought to be the last man standing in that regard a week ago, with Cleveland and New England having failed to convince Aiyuk to sign a long-term deal post-trade. The 49ers still hope to sign him -- or at least get him back on the field under the fifth-year option he's currently under contract for -- and it would seem a trade becomes less and less likely with each passing day.
The 49ers are trying to work out a contract with Aiyuk but also have agreed to parameters of a trade with the Steelers, ESPN.com reports. It's the latest turn in a lengthy, ongoing drama, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting that a trade to Pittsburgh is "one phone call away." The 49ers previously discussed deals with the Browns and Patriots, but reports suggested negotiations fell through due to Aiyuk's hesitance about signing a long-term deal with either team. He's apparently willing to go to Pittsburgh, which essentially leaves everyone waiting on the 49ers to either complete a trade or meet Aiyuk's contract demands. It's possible the Steelers eventually rescind their offer if San Francisco's front office continues to drag things out with the effort to convince Aiyuk to take less than what Pittsburgh is offering.