49ers: 4 players who can be No. 1 option on offense in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk
Deebo Samuel might be one of San Francisco’s most intimidating receivers. But the 49ers’ Round 1 pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, could be on a trajectory to be the team’s best.
It’s quite remarkable to think what Aiyuk did his rookie season. Despite having three different quarterbacks tossing him the ball and being without other complementary pass-catchers like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle for large portions of the schedule, Aiyuk still managed to put together an impressive campaign netting 60 receptions for 748 yards and five touchdowns, also threatening Rice’s 1985 rookie mark but also doing so over just 12 games played.
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Had Aiyuk been on the field for all 16 games, one has to figure he would have set a new franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season by a Niners rookie.
Samuel is potent, yes. But Aiyuk appears as if he’ll display all the big playmaking abilities for a true No. 1 wide receiver on many a team. There’s an awfully good chance he’s the player winding up netting five, six or even seven catches per game while always threatening for a 100-yard receiving effort.
Heck, he already had two of those 100-yard games last season despite the challenging circumstances while also coming close with two more 90-yard games in 2020, too.
If Aiyuk makes that second-year leap many think he’ll be able to reach, one could easily see why the former ASU standout winds up becoming San Francisco’s top offensive choice.