Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Garrett Wilson

Tuesday, December 2, 11:37 AM

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said he is "not sure" but "hopeful" when asked if it's realistic to expect wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) to take the field in 2025, per David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Aiyuk tore multiple ligaments in his knee in Week 7 of the 2024 season and has yet to play in a game since. Aiyuk was one of the most efficient wide receivers in the NFL in the last full season he played back in 2023, recording 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 105 targets. However, it appears as though he may not be healthy until 2026. Aiyuk also may be locked into a contract stand-off with the team, as the 49ers reportedly voided guarantees in his current contract. Between the injury and the contractual issues, fantasy managers should likely proceed as though Aiyuk will not play a fantasy-relevant role in 2025.

Sunday, December 7, 9:57 AM

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) has been sidelined since Week 10 with relatively few updates on his status. Now, despite the Jets trending toward missing the playoffs, Connor Hughes of SNY speculates that Wilson will be activated and will return to the lineup before the end of the regular season. When explaining his belief that Wilson will play again this year, Hughes cited the receiver's desire to contribute. "Garrett is such a different guy," Hughes said. "He wants to win so bad, and he wants to be on the field so bad that when he is healthy and he can clear and pass all the tests, I don't see the Jets being able to keep Garrett out of the lineup. He is going to want to be out there, and the Jets are ultimately going to have to put him back out there." The exact timetable for Wilson's return is unclear, but presumably, he'll be back for some or all of the fantasy football playoffs. He should benefit from having Tyrod Taylor under center, as his best game of the season came with the veteran quarterback throwing him passes. That happened back in Week 3, and Wilson caught 10 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown. Upon his return, Wilson will rank as a low-end WR1 in fantasy football.