Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Alec Pierce

Sunday, November 23, 11:55 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) continues to recover from last year's ACL injury, and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that Aiyuk is "close to being cleared" for a return. The receiver's 21-day practice window hasn't been opened yet, but the 49ers remain hopeful that he'll get back on the field in the near future. San Francisco's receiving corps could use the help as Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall have been underwhelming, combining for 53 catches, 705 yards, and three touchdowns while managing their respective injuries. Aiyuk could become an instant WR2 or WR3 in fantasy football upon his return, but an exact timetable for his activation remains unclear. This isn't the only news story we've seen about Aiyuk this week, though. A few days ago, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic reported that Aiyuk and the Niners were headed for a "stunning split" after the team voided his 2026 guarantees for a failure to meet contractual obligations, creating a clear path to his release next offseason. While Russini and Silver wrote that Aiyuk has likely played his final game for the 49ers, Garafolo's report seems to clarify that he'll have a good chance to get back on the field in 2025 before the team makes a decision on his future during the offseason.

Tuesday, November 25, 11:30 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce put up a dud in his team's Week 12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, recording just one catch for 26 yards on two targets. It was a disappointing result for the 25-year-old, as he had been showing signs of a breakout before the team's Week 11 bye. Across nine games this season, Pierce leads the NFL in yards per reception (21.1). At the same time, he's averaging a career-best six targets per game. Across four games before Indianapolis' Week 11 bye, Pierce's target rate had spiked even higher to 8.8 per contest. While Week 12 showcases that Pierce can still have bust weeks, he also holds explosive upside. Pierce should remain a waiver-wire priority in fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams heading into his Week 13 matchup against the Houston Texans.