Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk

Monday, February 12, 2:24 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring) had a frustrating Sunday night in the team's 25-22 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. The former second-rounder fell to the turf, grabbing his leg in the third quarter but returned shortly after. While 49er fans and fantasy managers could breathe a sigh of relief when he returned, Samuel wasn't able to do much damage after -- or for that matter, before -- the injury. He finished the game with three catches on a game-high 11 targets for just 33 yards. San Francisco also attempted to get Samuel involved in the running game, giving him three carries which turned into just eight yards. He'll most likely be taken near the WR1/WR2 border when fantasy drafts happen in the fall.

Sunday, April 14, 1:45 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk recently unfollowed the 49ers' account on the social media platform Instagram. He's also voiced his displeasure regarding his contract situation. However, the wideout's agent, Ryan Williams, responding to a post on X, denied that a trade had been requested. Aiyuk is coming off his best season, amassing 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Understandably, he wants a new deal instead of playing under his fifth-year option, which would pay him just over $14 million in 2024-25. Nonetheless, while general manager John Lynch has stated the organization doesn't plan to deal Aiyuk, it seems things aren't moving in a favorable direction. As usual in this type of situation, more updates should be on the horizon.