Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Tetairoa McMillan

Sunday, November 23, 11:55 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) continues to recover from last year's ACL injury, and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that Aiyuk is "close to being cleared" for a return. The receiver's 21-day practice window hasn't been opened yet, but the 49ers remain hopeful that he'll get back on the field in the near future. San Francisco's receiving corps could use the help as Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall have been underwhelming, combining for 53 catches, 705 yards, and three touchdowns while managing their respective injuries. Aiyuk could become an instant WR2 or WR3 in fantasy football upon his return, but an exact timetable for his activation remains unclear. This isn't the only news story we've seen about Aiyuk this week, though. A few days ago, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic reported that Aiyuk and the Niners were headed for a "stunning split" after the team voided his 2026 guarantees for a failure to meet contractual obligations, creating a clear path to his release next offseason. While Russini and Silver wrote that Aiyuk has likely played his final game for the 49ers, Garafolo's report seems to clarify that he'll have a good chance to get back on the field in 2025 before the team makes a decision on his future during the offseason.

Tuesday, November 25, 12:53 AM

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught just two of seven targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. McMillan and quarterback Bryce Young struggled to connect in this game, with the two often on the wrong page or Young delivering an inaccurate ball. The rookie wideout isn't without blame, however, as he had a bad drop on a third down in the first half. McMillan was at least able to connect with Young on a beautiful 29-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to at least salvage a decent fantasy day for managers. It was still a disappointing result for the Panthers' passing attack after a great performance last week against the Atlanta Falcons, when McMillan went for 130 yards and two touchdowns. McMillan still projects favorably as the Panthers' clear No. 1 target for their Week 13 matchup against the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams.