Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Ricky Pearsall

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.

Friday, December 5, 8:42 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has not had the second-year breakout that many were predicting back in training camp. Injuries have been a big issue yet again, as he didn't return from a PCL sprain in his knee until Week 11 after getting hurt in Week 4. In three games since his return, the 25-year-old former first-rounder has caught only five passes for 20 yards on nine targets. Overall, he's sporting a 25-347-0 line in seven games. It's not like he hasn't been on the field since his return, as he's played at least 75% of the snaps in all three games. Fantasy managers who have hung onto Pearsall will be hoping that the Niners will devise a plan to get him more involved when they come out of their Week 14 bye to face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Dec. 14. Better days could be ahead, but Pearsall is likely to continue to struggle for a high target share in an offense that has plenty of mouths to feed between Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Jauan Jennings.