Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Jack Bech

Thursday, December 18, 4:18 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) has been "extremely distant" from the team since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The 27-year-old has not played a game since that point. The 49ers voided guarantees in his contract for 2026 and placed him on the reserve/left squad list on Saturday, officially ending his 2025 season. All signs seem to indicate that Aiyuk and the 49ers are likely to go their separate ways this offseason. In his last fully healthy season in 2023, Aiyuk recorded 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 105 targets. He has a chance to get back to his superstar heights if he can get fully healthy and find the right team. However, his health and the way his current situation in San Francisco has unfolded may bring about question marks for dynasty league fantasy managers.

Saturday, December 20, 8:18 AM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Jack Bech was pretty quiet in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles, logging two receptions for 17 yards off three targets. Notably, the young pass catcher's playtime was remarkably consistent between Weeks 14 and 15. In both games, Bech played 81% of the snaps, ran 82% of the team's routes, and had two targets with over ten air yards. The rookie wide receiver has a terrible matchup in Week 16 on the road against the Houston Texans and their top-rated defense, which is likely to hamper his fantasy production. Bech is quarterback Geno Smith's (shoulder, back) fourth or fifth receiving option, but he is carving out his niche and potential future with the Raiders heading into the season's final weeks. As a result, the rookie remains relevant only in dynasty leagues as a stash and is unlikely to warrant a starting position in Week 16 for redraft leagues.