Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Luke McCaffrey


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
6.9 0.2 0.0 2.5 32.2 0.2

Brandon Aiyuk News

Nothing has Changed with Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers

Monday, August 31, 3:40 PM

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed on Monday that nothing has changed with the situation regarding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), who remains on the left-squad list after roster cutdown day on Sunday, according to Matt Lively of CBS Sports. The 28-year-old former first-rounder has been off the team's roster since the start of training camp at the end of July. A season-ending knee injury in 2024 and off-the-field issues have forced the Niners to move on from Aiyuk, who went on a social-media rant against the organization this offseason, in turn scaring away potential suitors if/when the 49ers ever outright release him. The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract in August of 2024 before he proceeded to catch just 25 passes for 374 yards and zero touchdowns before tearing his ACL and MCL in his right knee in Week 7. Aiyuk did not play at all in 2025, and the chances of him re-emerging as a fantasy football asset in 2026 are drying up with each passing day. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should not be drafting Aiyuk.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.7 0.0 0.0 0.6 7.6 0.1

Luke McCaffrey News

Luke McCaffrey Making a Case for a Prominent Role

Wednesday, August 5, 5:51 AM

The Washington Commanders have one of the league's most wide-open receiver depth charts behind locked-in starter Terry McLaurin, but a player who has been consistently showing up through the early stages of training camp has been third-year wideout Luke McCaffrey. Commanders reporter Ben Standig points out that McCaffrey has regularly seen work alongside McLaurin and Treylon Burks in three-receiver sets, and on an overall down day for the offense on Tuesday, the 2024 third-round pick stood out with a number of positive plays. McCaffrey's usage was on the rise in year two before a broken collarbone ended his season on the opening kickoff of a Week 9 loss to the Seahawks, but with the injury squarely behind him, he's been able to stand out from a muddled receiver room, and he energized the crowd on Tuesday with a pair of deep connections from Jayden Daniels. McCaffrey is not a player regularly being drafted in 2026 lineup leagues, but if he can continue to develop chemistry with Daniels and earn a regular role in the Commanders' offense, he could work his way into streaming consideration by season's end.


Brandon Aiyuk vs. Luke McCaffrey

Still trying to decide between Aiyuk and McCaffrey? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Brandon Aiyuk is projected to score 6.9 points this week while Luke McCaffrey is projected to score 1.7 points.