San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had another meeting on Monday, and talks continue to progress on a long-term contract extension, according to sources. There has been movement on a deal, but there are some minor details that still need to be ironed out with ownership approval. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been close to acquiring Aiyuk in a trade, but the Steelers' latest offer on a long-term extension has reportedly pushed the 26-year-old first-rounder back to the negotiating table with his current squad. At this point with two weeks remaining before the start of the 2024 regular season, it seems likely that Aiyuk will remain in San Fran, regardless of whether an extension is agreed upon. The Niner reaching an extension with Aiyuk in the next several weeks is the likeliest outcome, which would be the best possible news for fantasy managers that have already drafted Aiyuk as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2.

San Francisco's rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (shoulder) won't be practicing with the team this week. Head coach Kyle Shanahan did leave a glimmer of hope that Pearsall could play in the 49ers preseason finale on Friday against the Las Vegas Raiders, but it's looking like that window is closed. There is still some time between now and the 49ers Week 1 opener against the Jets on September 9, but Pearsall may not be heavily involved due to him missing critical installation time, especially with Brandon Aiyuk not practicing. For fantasy purposes, Pearsall is merely a late-round contingency pick in the event of an injury to Deebo Samuel or Aiyuk. The path to playing time seems a bit murky even then, as Jauan Jennings is also involved at wide receiver.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that running back Christian McCaffrey's (calf) obsession with practice reps has him unconcerned with the running back's calf strain. When speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Shanahan explained that McCaffrey is so deliberate with every rep he can take when healthy, that the missed time should not affect his ability to perform at a high level. McCaffrey is the engine that drives the 49ers offense. He finished 2023 with 1,459 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with 67 receptions for 564 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. McCaffrey is currently the consensus No. 1 pick in fantasy despite the injury. Shanahan's interview should only serve to appease fantasy manager worries about drafting McCaffrey.

The San Francisco 49ers continue to remain apart from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams in regard to contract negotiations. Asked about the two players Tuesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan told the media, "Zero updates. Nothing has changed." It remains fascinating to watch this entire situation unfold as both players remain absent from practice with just over two weeks until the NFL regular season gets underway. Aiyuk's impasse comes with an added wrinkle given ongoing trade chatter, but it sounds like his realistic options are playing for the 49ers or Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024 (and if he picks the Steelers, the 49ers would still have to agree to trade terms). There's been less discussion about a Williams trade, so it seems like he'll either be suiting up for the 49ers or spending Week 1 on their sideline, barring an unforeseen development. Being without either player would be a massive loss for the 49ers. Aiyuk is coming off the best season of his career in which he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns en route to finishing as the WR14 in PPR leagues. Meanwhile, Williams boasted an 89.9 PFF grade over 809 snaps and was particularly dominant in run blocking, an effort that helped Christian McCaffery finish as the overall RB1. There's no doubt that the 49ers are better when both players are on the field, and the same goes for fantasy managers.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Sunday night that he's "hoping" that rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) will return to training camp practice this week and get some snaps in Friday's preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. Guerendo could easily be looking at a redshirt rookie season in the NFL after initially injuring his hamstring at the start of training camp on July 24. The 24-year-old fourth-rounder has missed three-plus weeks of valuable reps in camp, including both of the team's preseason games to this point. Saying San Fran's backfield has been beat up this summer would be an understatement, as Christian McCaffrey (calf), Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) and Jordan Mason (hip) also have injury designations. When healthy, the speedy Guerendo figures to be the Niners' RB3, but he's behind the eight ball developmentally already and can be avoided in standard 12-team fantasy drafts.