Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or DeMario Douglas

Monday, October 27, 8:04 PM

The San Francisco 49ers do not plan to open wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) 21-day practice window on Wednesday, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said late last week that Aiyuk could resume practicing this week, but it won't happen on Wednesday, meaning he's unlikely to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list to make his season debut in Week 9 against the New York Giants. The 27-year-old pass-catcher is still recovering from suffering a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee in Week 7 of last year. Once he returns to practice, the 49ers are expected to take things slow with him, and he could need the full 21 days before he's officially activated to the active 53-man roster. Fantasy managers stashing Aiyuk need to remain patient, and it's possible that he's not back to full speed until the 2026 season.

Saturday, October 25, 9:25 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas remains an unappealing fantasy option heading into Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns. Outside of a strong Week 6 against the Saints, Douglas has massively underwhelmed this season, catching just 13 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He has routinely been out-snapped by Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, and Mack Hollins, making it difficult for him to carve out any sort of fantasy relevance. The 24-year-old is especially concerning this week as he takes on the Cleveland Browns, who have allowed the 15th-fewest fantasy points to slot receivers in 2025. Douglas can be left on waivers in most formats.