Eagles vs. SF 49ers: 5 players who’ll tear up Philly’s defense
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: SF 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk
While the Niners are getting back second-year wide receiver Deebo Samuel from his offseason foot injury and subsequent placement on short-term injured reserve, it’s still likely the team rests and acclimates Samuel back to NFL life slowly, potentially putting his availability for Week 4 in question.
It might not matter, though. Especially considering rookie wideout Brandon Aiyuk‘s breakout game against the Giants.
In Week 3, Aiyuk posted five catches for 70 yards, then added another 31 rush yards with a touchdown, emulating a lot of the skills and moves Samuel displayed last year.
Sunday’s contest against the Eagles could be even more impressive.
Philadelphia is awfully shorthanded at cornerback, already projected to be without one of their two boundary options, Avonte Maddox, this Sunday. The veteran, Darius Slay, is also dealing with an arm injury.
Should neither player be able to go, it’s likely the Eagles will have to use a combination of Cre’Von LeBlanc, Nickell Robey-Coleman or Trevor Williams, who are all nickel cornerbacks. It’s also possible safety Jalen Mills fills back in again at corner, his old position.
The shuffling here could open up plenty of opportunities for Aiyuk to have yet another breakout game, suggesting he could even get to that 100-yard receiving plateau so many top-tier receivers aim for in a single game.