Despite playing most of the season without several star players including quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, receiver Ricky Pearsall, and defensive end Nick Bosa, the San Francisco 49ers have a respectable 6-4 record and are just one game behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks for the NFC West division lead.
The injury-ravaged 49ers have been hit particularly hard on offense with injuries to two QBs, a running back, five different WRs, a tight end, and two offensive linemen.
Aside from losing Bosa and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner to season-ending injuries, the roughest part of the 49ersâ season just may be the fact that WR Brandon Aiyuk still hasnât played a snap.
The 27-year-old is still recovering from torn ACL and MCL injuries suffered in Week 7 of last season against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Aiyukâs Return Timeline Takes a Hit
49ers general manager John Lynch initially told reporters during the preseason that he expected Aiyuk to be back by Week 7 of the regular season. But days before the teamâs Week 11 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, Lynch dropped a not-so-promising update on the All-Pro wideout.
âThat’s not the intention, the intention is to get Brandon back,â Lynch told KNBR when asked if this season would be a redshirt year for Aiyuk. âWe’re not there yet, we just got to get him to a place where we’re comfortable opening that window, and see if he can make it back on the field. That is the intention. But we’ll see, no absolutes there.â
Aiyuk has been practicing with the team for weeks, but he reportedly needed more time than the team initially believed for his ACL to fully heal.
When healthy, Aiyuk is arguably one of the NFLâs 10 best wide receivers. He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, totaling 75 or more catches and seven or more touchdowns both years.
But without the dynamic receiver, the 49ersâ WR corps leaves much to be desired.
Pearsall, the teamâs first-round pick last season, has missed six games due to injuries and logged just 20 catches for 327 yards. Jauan Jennings, who signed a two-year, $15.4 million contract extension during the offseason, has also missed two games with injuries. He has just 28 catches for 324 yards and three touchdowns.
The WR-by-Committee Approach Isnât Working
GettySan Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey leads the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns
Though the 49ers lead the NFL in receptions (249) and receiving yards (2,737), the bulk of that production has come from running backs and tight ends.
In fact, 60% of San Franciscoâs receptions and 49% of its receiving yards have come from Christian McCaffrey, Kittle, Jake Tonges, Kyle Juszczyk, Luke Farrell, and Brian Robinson Jr. â further emphasizing Aiyukâs importance to the passing game.
McCaffrey, a running back, leads the team in every receiving category including receptions (69), targets (90), receiving yards (692), and touchdowns (4). The 49ersâ leading WR is Kendrick Bourne (31 catches, 482 yards), and he didnât join the team until Week 2.
Aside from McCaffrey, the 49ers donât have a receiver who ranks in the top 35 in the NFL in receiving yards or the top 60 in receptions.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post 49ers GM John Lynch Announces Concerning Brandon Aiyuk Injury News appeared first on Heavy Sports.