Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Alec Pierce

Tuesday, August 26, 5:06 PM

The San Francisco 49ers officially placed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list to begin the 2025 season, which means he will miss at least the first four contests. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already said that Aiyuk might be targeting a return around Week 6 on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 27-year-old suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 of last season, which is why he's not ready for the start of 2025. The former first-round wideout had been a major disappointment in fantasy before his season-ending knee injury, too, as he caught just 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and didn't find the end zone once in seven games. It's understandable for fantasy managers to want to avoid him altogether this year, although he's still worth drafting in leagues with IR spots. With Aiyuk sidelined, Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall should serve as the top wideouts in San Fran.

Saturday, September 13, 8:20 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce will host the Denver Broncos in Week 2 after enjoying a blowout win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. Pierce was mostly quiet, catching just one of his three targets for a 36-yard gain in the contest. The veteran will look for more work in a tough matchup against a Broncos secondary that shut down the Tennessee Titans pass-catchers in Week 1. Pierce can be very boom/bust, but is not a recommended fantasy option unless desperate in Week 2.