San Francisco 49ers

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee), who has started camp on the team's PUP list, is expected to be part of a potential trade to the San Francisco 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk. The trade winds have been swirling around Aiyuk in recent days, but it's been reported that the framework for an Aiyuk trade has been agreed to by the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. Bourne tore his ACL in late October of last season but has returned to practice in uniform, but without a helmet or shoulder pads as he continues his rehab. After spending the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers, the 29-year-old wide receiver enters his third season with the Patriots and now surveys a much more youthful wide receiver group with incoming rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker added to Demario Douglas and offseason addition K.J. Osborn. Bourne would compete for targets will all of these players, limiting his fantasy upside if he remains a Patriot.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan relayed to reporters on Tuesday that San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) has been dealing with a strained hamstring. While it's unknown if Mitchell will miss any time because of this injury, but the fact that Christian McCaffrey (calf) is also set to miss the preseason with a calf injury and the team adding former 49er Matt Breida to the running back stable raises the level of concern. The pecking order for the backup running back behind McCaffrey has heated up with Mitchell, Jordan Mason, rookie Isaac Guerendo, and now Breida. Mitchell has been the primary backup since McCaffrey arrived in San Francisco in a 2022 mid-season trade, but the hold on that job has loosened by the day. Keep an eye on any news regarding the injury status for Mitchell, but Mitchell does carry a slight edge as the contingency running back for the 49ers in case CMC isn't ready for Week 1.

As a precaution, San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (shoulder) was removed from practice Tuesday. The 49ers rookie wideout was put in a blue non-contact jersey earlier in training camp due to a shoulder injury. Pearsall projects to be the team's fourth wide receiver behind Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Deebo Samuel Sr. in 2024. However, with Aiyuk entrenched in trade rumors, Pearsall could see a leap in his fantasy stock. For now, Pearsall is a solid option to monitor ahead of fantasy drafts for both his injury and role in the offense.

San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) is dealing with a calf strain in training camp, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said he will not be taking part in the preseason. Furthermore, Shanahan said that McCaffrey might miss a couple weeks of camp with his calf issue. While CMC may not be in danger of missing the start of the 2024 regular season, this is bad news for the reigning NFL rushing leader and the three-time Pro Bowler. The 28-year-old led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs while also catching 67 passes for an additional 564 yards and seven TDs in 16 regular-season games in 2023, making him the unquestioned top fantasy pick going into 2024 fantasy drafts. However, he's no stranger to disappointment for fantasy managers due to injuries, as he played in a combined 10 games from 2020-21 while with the Panthers. CMC should still be the No. 1 overall fantasy selection as long as he's ready for Week 1, but this is a reminder of the risk that's also involved. Elijah Mitchell is second on the RB depth chart and would become a weekly play in fantasy lineups if CMC misses any time.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers re-engaged in conversations mid-day on Tuesday regarding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, according to league sources. As of Monday night, talks between the two teams had stalled, but there have been further conversations on Tuesday in an ever-fluid situation that still involves other teams as well, mainly the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. It was reported Monday night that the Niners had agreed to the framework of trades with both the Browns and Patriots, and Aiyuk reportedly has been given the green light to negotiate a contract extension with other teams interested in trading for him. A resolution on Aiyuk is expected sooner than later, and no matter where he ends up, he's likely to see a decline in fantasy value, especially if he lands in New England with veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett. it's unclear what the Steelers might be offering San Fran in a potential deal. Stay tuned.