Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Chris Olave

Monday, August 11, 5:05 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't thought about it much, but said that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) might return in Week 6. General manager John Lynch already said that he didn't think Aiyuk would be ready for Week 1 of the regular season in early September, but now it looks like the 27-year-old pass-catcher will be out much longer after tearing both his MCL and ACL in his right knee last October. Aiyuk is expected to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which will require him to miss at least the first four games. He has not practiced with the team at all this year. Obviously, this is a big hit to Aiyuk's 2025 fantasy value. Aiyuk is stash-worthy in fantasy leagues that have designated Injured Reserve spots. In Aiyuk's absence, both Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall stand to benefit as key members of the passing attack.

Sunday, August 10, 2:52 PM

New Orleans Saints wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are not going through pre-game warm-ups for the team's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Times-Picayune. That means Spencer Rattler, who is getting the start against Los Angeles as he competes with Tyler Shough and Jake Haener for the QB1 job, will be without his top two wide receivers. Both Olave and Shaheed had their 2024 seasons significantly impacted by injuries, so it makes sense that the team would want to be cautious with them in the preseason.