Sep 17, 2024 9:37 am: Aiyuk is expected to serve as the 49ers' No. 1 receiver for at least Sunday's game against the Rams after San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Deebo Samuel (calf) is likely to miss "a couple weeks," Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Analysis: After holding out for all of training camp and the preseason before finalizing a contract extension with the 49ers in late August, Aiyuk has taken on a more muted role than normal in the San Francisco passing attack though the first two weeks of the season. Though he was back to handling a normal snap share in Week 2 (88 percent) after being eased back in with a 60 percent snap share in the Week 1 win over the Jets, Aiyuk still finished with a modest 4-43-0 receiving line on five targets in this past Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Vikings. Samuel ended up missing just one snap due to the calf strain he suffered with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter and was the far busier of the two receivers on the day with an 8-110-0 line on 10 targets, but his expected absence for Week 3 and likely Week 4 should free up more opportunities for Aiyuk. Wideout Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle could also see upticks in targets, but coming off a 1,342-yard season and with a new four-year, $120 million contract in tow, Aiyuk projects to be the primary option in the passing game for quarterback Brock Purdy.