Aiyuk finally got the big extension he wanted at the end of a contentious 2024 summer, but it wasn't long before the 49ers regretted it. After turning 105 targets into 1,342 yards and seven TDs the year before, Aiyuk had just one game in 2024 with 50-plus yards or double-digit PPR points before suffering ACL and MCL tears Week 7. He had surgery in mid-November, leaving him uncertain for Week 1 of 2025 and unlikely to regain his top form early in the year. Aiyuk will again face tough competition for targets, with Deebo Samuel's offseason departure negated by a breakout 2024 from Jauan Jennings and a strong finish to the year from rookie first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. With TE George Kittle and RB Christian McCaffrey also still kicking, we can probably abandon any prior hopes of Aiyuk seeing a volume spike once Samuel left the 49ers. The good news is that Aiyuk has shown he can put up WR2 fantasy numbers on WR3 volume while serving as the vertical threat in a top offense. However, it's not entirely clear the 49ers still have an elite offense, nor is it certain that Aiyuk will pose the same field-stretching threat a year after major knee surgery.
