49ers 2020 ‘Who Is?’ series: Brandon Aiyuk a star in the making?

Brandon Aiyuk’s Projected Role, Impact with 49ers in 2020

So, what is the floor and ceiling for Brandon Aiyuk this season?

Aiyuk certainly wasn’t the safest top-tier receiving option in the NFL Draft, and there’s a stronger chance of him flaming out at the pro level in comparison to another player the Niners could have liked, now-Dallas Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb.

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But Aiyuk seems to be tailor-made for Kyle Shanahan’s offense; someone who excels at getting open and creating yards after the catch.

Those attributes should benefit Aiyuk a lot, especially early in his career when his stature might not be strong enough to physically overpower bigger, tougher defensive backs. That said, it’s a bit of a reach to assume he breaks out right away.

A more modest prediction would be for him to start out as the No. 3 boundary option this season, working behind Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne with the eventual hope he can surpass the latter on the depth chart.

That could come sooner than later, though, relegating Bourne to his red-zone niche and allowing Aiyuk to complement Samuel’s own playmaking abilities.

And it’s more than possible to see Aiyuk reap the rewards of other teams focusing more on Samuel this season than they did in 2019.

If so, the Niners could have a young and potent one-two punch at wide receiver, provided Aiyuk trends upwards instead of plateauing too soon.