Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Jalen McMillan

Monday, March 31, 3:16 PM

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers are not expected to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee). The sixth-year pro will be due a bonus of $22.85 million on Tuesday if he is on the team's roster. Aiyuk exploded in 2023 with a 75-1,342-7 line and signed a four-year $120 million contract extension as a reward. However, a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 of 2024 cut his season short, though it's worth noting he wasn't overly productive before the injury. The 49ers have already flipped one star wideout this offseason, sending Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders, so it is in the team's best interest to hold Aiyuk despite the hit to their cap. There is still no timetable for the 27-year-old's return, but he recently got good reviews regarding his recovery. He'll compete with teammates George Kittle and Jauan Jennings for targets when he's healthy.

Monday, January 13, 12:30 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan caught two of his four targets for 41 yards during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. It was a below-average performance from the rookie receiver, who snapped a five-game touchdown streak in the defeat. He had found the end zone seven over during this five-game window, ranking as the overall WR7 in half-PPR leagues during that span. McMillan did a great job filling in for Chris Godwin (ankle) down the stretch, and the rookie's emergence is likely enough to convince the Buccaneers that re-signing Godwin isn't a high priority. The University of Washington product offers a nice complement to Mike Evans, and the two should continue to form a solid one-two punch for years to come. McMillan remains a strong fantasy WR3 going forward, especially if he can prove that his nose for the end zone in 2024 wasn't a fluke.