Who Should I Start? Russell Gage Jr. or Elic Ayomanor

Thursday, August 28, 6:31 PM

The San Francisco 49ers re-signed wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. (knee) to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday and released safety Richie Grant in a corresponding move, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Gage, who did not practice with the team on Thursday due to a knee injury, returns to the team after being released on cutdown day on Tuesday. The return of the 29-year-old speaks to how beat up their receiving room is right now with the Week 1 regular-season opener just over a week away. Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is on the PUP list, and Jauan Jennings (calf) and rookie Jordan Watkins (ankle) are up in the air to be ready on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. If both Jennings and Watkins are unavailable for the season opener, it's possible that Gage will be forced into a starting role early on.

Saturday, August 30, 5:23 PM

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor has been developing a strong connection with fellow rookie Cam Ward, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. Ayomanor has consistently impressed coaches during camp, and he said, "don't be surprised" if the fourth-rounder is the number two receiver. Veteran Calvin Ridley is entrenched as the team's number one, but Ayomanor has a promising prospect profile and has been flashing throughout training camp and preseason. He totaled five catches for 72 yards on nine targets in the preseason, catching multiple passes from Ward. The Stanford product faces little competition for a steady number of routes, with only veterans Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson plus rookie Chimere Dike in the mix. The target competition is thin as well, with Ridley demanding a decent share along with Chig Okonkwo, but there is an opportunity to emerge. He's a great dart throw with one of the last picks in drafts.