Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Jayden Reed

Wednesday, February 25, 5:14 AM

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that "nothing will happen until the new league year" when discussing parting ways with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. We already know that Aiyuk won't be playing for the Niners in 2026, but he won't be officially released until the start of the new league year next month. The 27-year-old former first-rounder signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the team in August of 2024 and then played in only seven games that year, catching 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and no touchdowns. Aiyuk didn't play at all in 2025 due to his knee injury and wasn't going to return to the Bay Area after the team voided guarantees in his contract. He'll certainly attract attention on the open market, but fantasy managers will be wary after all the missed time.

Friday, February 27, 8:30 AM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed had his 2025 season thrown off track by injury, as collarbone and foot ailments limited him to just seven games played. Across those contests, the 25-year-old hauled in 19 catches for 207 yards and one touchdown on 22 targets. Before 2025, Reed flashed upside in his first two NFL seasons, recording over 1,900 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns. However, he's struggled to carve out a high-volume role in the Packers offense, which typically spreads the ball around to multiple pass-catchers. Across 40 career games with Green Bay, Reed is averaging 4.8 targets per contest. Packers wideout Romeo Doubs is set to hit free agency, and start tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) is currently recovering from a torn ACL, so Reed's path to playing time could be clearer in 2026. He will still have to contend with Green Bay wideouts Christian Watson and Matthew Golden for targets, but a fully healthy offseason could put Reed in position for a breakout year. In dynasty formats, Reed could be a solid buy-low candidate coming off his injury-marred 2025 campaign.