Brandon Aiyuk’s knee injury reshapes San Francisco’s pass game, with Week 5 at the earliest return on the table after a season-opening PUP designation. Aiyuk’s absence thrusts Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and Jordan Watkins into bigger roles, while Kurtis Rourke and Malik Mustapha push to return to action later in the year. Deebo Samuel’s offseason departure to Washington compounds the challenge, leaving Aiyuk to reclaim All-Pro form once cleared. Christian McCaffrey’s health keeps SF’s offense from spiraling, but the early-season path hinges on depth at wide receiver and how quickly Aiyuk can rejoin the lineup.

Fantasy managers should monitor Pearsall’s offseason gains and Watkins’ recovery timeline, as both could become week-to-week value plays if Aiyuk stays sidelined. With Week 14 bye looming, SF must balance risk and reward as their wideout corps recalibrates, hoping Aiyuk’s return unlocks the offense’s ceiling again in a pivotal NFC West stretch.