RADIO
Read Brandon Aiyuk's fantasy football outlook for Week 3 of the NFL season. Notes, updates, analysis and advice including predictions for his upcoming matchup.
Brandon Aiyuk was seemingly in Kyle Shanahan's doghouse in Week 1, a game in which he played just 47% of the snaps and ran just 15 routes. Shanahan made some comments that he wasn't fully healthy with the preseason hamstring injury, but also spoke about Aiyuk's preparation, and needing to get better. That led to more snaps for Trent Sherfield. No big deal, let's give Aiyuk another chance to prove his worth in Week 2.
Well, in Week 2 vs. the Eagles, he played just 54% of the snaps and ran just 20 routes. While that is some improvement over Week 1, the production (and usage) still wasn't there. In comparison, Deebo Samuel played on 70% of the snaps and ran 22 routes. But it was Samuel that got the targets. He saw eight vs. just two for Aiyuk. It's probably only a matter of time before Aiyuk sees a full complement of snaps, and it could even come as early as Week 3. But even if that's the case, it looks like Jimmy Garoppolo has an eye for Samuel over Aiyuk. That could change, and a different gameplan could favor the Arizona State product, but while Samuel is fully healthy, he looks to be the WR1 in San Francisco.
At the end of the day, this 49ers team is built to run the football. Through two games, they have run the ball 54.1% of the time, only attempting 28 passes per game. Samuel's league-leading 38% target share will decrease, but it's time to lower expectations on Aiyuk so long as both Deebo and George Kittle are on the field making plays for the 49ers. He's not a recommended start in Week 3, or until we see a greater involvement in this offense and some fantasy production.
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Top 5 Risky Dynasty Fantasy Football Buys - Players Worth Targeting and Gambling On in Drafts (2025)
For many managers, dynasty football is seen as the Dom Pérignon of all fantasy football leagues. There is a lot of strategy, nuance, and skill that goes into being a successful dynasty football player. As with all other aspects of life, timing is everything in dynasty football. This is especially true when it comes to […]
Should I Draft RJ Harvey or Quinshon Judkins? 2025 Dynasty Rookie Draft Analysis
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey and Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins are two rookie backs drafted in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Judkins was selected early, at 36th overall, in a move that some might consider a bit of a reach. Interestingly, the fantasy community was utterly blindsided by Harvey's […]
5 League-Winning Fantasy Football Breakouts: Second-Year Players to Target and Draft (2025)
While fantasy football managers used to avoid rookies like the plague, their approach towards them has softened in recent years. This is mainly due to the number of rookies recently entering the league and immediately producing like seasoned veterans. However, not all players hit the ground running in their rookie year. While some players excel […]
5 Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Breakout Candidates: Player Outlooks and Projections (2025)
There are always running backs who come into the NFL and make an immediate impact. In 2023, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and De'Von Achane were three breakout rookie running backs. All three players also finished as top-24 running backs in fantasy. In 2024, Bucky Irving and Tyrone Tracy Jr. could be seen as rookie breakouts. […]
2025 Fantasy Football Half-PPR FLEX Rankings: (Post-NFL Draft) - TreVeyon Henderson, Najee Harris, Michael Pittman Jr., Travis Etienne Jr., Emeka Egbuka
At RotoBaller HQ, we are back with more fantasy football rankings to help you prepare for your upcoming drafts. We recently published half-PPR running backs, wide receivers, and tight end ranking articles. Now, we combine all three positions and provide the top 200 overall FLEX rankings. Below are our early 2025 fantasy football Half-PPR FLEX […]
Download Our Free Player News App
Like what you see? You can download our free fantasy football mobile app for iPhone and Android which includes more analysis at every position, 24x7 player news, notifications, injury alerts & daily articles.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
