August 21, 2025

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) was fighting for a new deal last offseason. There was even talk he would be traded. However, it didn't happen. Instead, the wideout signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the 49ers. Unfortunately, Aiyuk was limited to only seven contests due to a torn ACL and MCL, an injury he suffered during the Week 7 meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs. He also wasn't very productive, amassing only 25 catches for 374 yards while failing to find the end zone. Since the injury, the 27-year-old has been working his way back. Aiyuk holds the No. 40 (standard) and No. 41 (PPR) spots in RotoBaller's rankings for the 2025 campaign. It's assumed he will begin the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list. If that's the case, his fantasy ceiling will fall even more, considering it could also take him a few games to shake off any residual rust. On the other hand, Aiyuk's stock will improve if there are positive updates regarding his health moving ahead. All things considered, he is someone worth stashing, especially if he's not selected after the seventh or eighth rounds in fantasy drafts for the 2025 season. Update 08/14/25: Aiyuk might return in Week 6 of the regular season, per 49ers GM John Lynch. He is expected to start the season on the PUP list as he continues to work his way back from a torn ACL and MCL. Fantasy managers with an IR spot can stash him for now but his RotoBaller draft ranking has plummeted to WR61 with the latest news.--Dennis Clausen
Source: ESPN