Brandon Aiyuk DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers are not expected to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee). The sixth-year pro will be due a bonus of $22.85 million on Tuesday if he is on the team's roster. Aiyuk exploded in 2023 with a 75-1,342-7 line and signed a four-year $120 million contract extension as a reward. However, a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 of 2024 cut his season short, though it's worth noting he wasn't overly productive before the injury. The 49ers have already flipped one star wideout this offseason, sending Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders, so it is in the team's best interest to hold Aiyuk despite the hit to their cap. There is still no timetable for the 27-year-old's return, but he recently got good reviews regarding his recovery. He'll compete with teammates George Kittle and Jauan Jennings for targets when he's healthy.

The San Francisco 49ers owe wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) a $22.85 million bonus if he's on their roster on April 1, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Once the 49ers pay that bonus, any potential trade talks this offseason for Aiyuk would be off and he'd be expected to spend the 2025 season with the Niners. Schefter reports that no trade is expected by then for Aiyuk, who is expected to miss around half of the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024. That will obviously be a huge hit to the 27-year-old's fantasy value for the 2025 season, especially after he was a big disappointment for his managers right before his season-ending knee injury. We will keep a close eye on Aiyuk's rehab this offseason, but as of right now, he won't be ready for training camp and will be a long shot to be ready for Week 1 this fall.

The Athletic's David Lombardi said on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday that he doesn't "think it's likely that the San Francisco 49ers are gonna trade Brandon Aiyuk." However, he also said "it's something that they're not saying a firm no to, though." The new contract that Aiyuk signed before last season wouldn't necessarily be a deterrent to a trade as much as the fact that he tore his ACL and MCL last season. If a team wanted to trade for the 26-year-old former first-rounder, they'd be inheriting him at four years and $110 million. Aiyuk also has a $20 million guarantee that kicks in on April 1, so it gives San Fran a little extra time to try and find a trade partner, despite just recently dealing Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Commanders. Before Aiyuk's injury, he didn't look good with 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns in seven games. Depending on his recovery from his major knee injury, Aiyuk could be a rebound candidate in fantasy if he stays with the Niners now that Samuel is out of town.