The San Francisco 49ers are back to .500, but there is still plenty of criticism directed at star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. There’s no question that Aiyuk has yet to produce like he did in 2023, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Since head coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in San Francisco, the 49ers have featured an offense that feeds everyone. In 2023, RB Christian McCaffrey won an MVP award but that wasn’t due to an inordinate amount of touches.
Aiyuk, WR Deebo Samuel and TE George Kittle all totaled 1000+ yards from scrimmage last fall. As Aiyuk has worked his way back into the team after his successful contract holdout, San Francisco and Shanahan have done what they always do: spread the ball around.
Coming into the Week 4 win over the New England Patriots, QB Brock Purdy had been targeting his WRs at an almost even rate. After the 30-13 victory, that rate remained rigid as Samuel (5,) Aiyuk (5,) and fellow WR Jauan Jennings (6) all got their chances.
The big difference with Aiyuk is that his connection with Purdy is still returning to normal. Jennings has caught 21 of his 27 targets and Deebo has brought down 16 catches on 24 passes.
Meanwhile, Aiyuk is barely over 50% with 13 catches on 25 attempts. That is bound to change, and that is due to the receiver’s consistent separation.
Advanced Metrics Show Aiyuk is Getting Open
In a recent piece from The Athletic writer Matt Barrows, he highlights a significant metric from Fantasy Points data. Aiyuk isn’t just getting open, he was the best in the NFL at making space after three games.
Sure enough, Aiyuk’s first catch of the Week 4 win saw him catch the ball with acres of space.
Aiyuk’s only other catch saw him make a circus catch due to Purdy missing the target. It’s worth noting that Aiyuk had plenty of space on that reception as well.
The contract holdout and mid-week hubbub about Aiyuk’s shorts (more on that below) has created an air of contentiousness. In some ways, it’s warranted. But in terms of Aiyuk regressing, his slow start to the year doesn’t seem to be due to anything other than the 49ers’ mission to spread the ball around.
Aiyuk Wears Incorrect Uniform to 49ers Practice
Entering practice on September 27, Aiyuk arrived in red shorts while the rest of San Francisco all wore the typical uniform featuring black shorts. While it seems like an irrelevant detail, head coach Kyle Shanahan was filmed ripping into Aiyuk before making him change his shorts.
Interpretations of the situation have been all over X and social media, with some stating that it represents why Aiyuk is not a team captain or a leader. For Shanahan, it was nothing more than a thoughtless error and he is already past it.
“That stuff happens,” Shanahan said on Sunday. “I didn’t see what he threw… I hate some of the clothes I gotta wear out there also — it is what it is.”
While it’s not a good look for Aiyuk, it’s clear that Shanahan isn’t taking it too seriously. Considering Aiyuk was the second-most targeted player in the 49ers’ Week 4 win, there’s no evidence that the team is adjusting their gameplan due to the snafu either.
