Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Ted Hurst III


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
4.1 0.4 0.0 1.4 18.9 0.1

Ted Hurst III News

Ted Hurst III Making a Late Push for Redraft Relevance

Thursday, August 27, 9:16 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III has pushed himself onto the deep-league redraft radar with a strong finish to training camp. The third-round rookie stood out during Tuesday's joint practice with Jacksonville, beating Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter for a 15-yard gain over the middle and continuing a summer in which Baker Mayfield has shown growing trust in him. Head coach Todd Bowles said earlier this month that Mayfield trusts Hurst to be where he needs to be, while Mayfield later praised the rookie's size, speed and ability to win contested catches. Hurst's preseason numbers have been quiet, with two catches for 19 yards on seven targets through two games, but Tampa Bay has repeatedly turned to him while Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson have missed practice time. He also started alongside David Sills V against Kansas City with several regulars sidelined. The path gets much tighter if Egbuka, McMillan, Chris Godwin Jr. and Johnson are all healthy, so Hurst is not a standard-league priority yet. Still, RotoBaller ranks him 11th among rookie wide receivers, and his late-camp rise makes him worth monitoring in deeper redraft formats.


Brandon Aiyuk vs. Ted Hurst III

Still trying to decide between Aiyuk and Hurst III? 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 Ted Hurst III is projected to score 4.1 points.