49ers vs. Eagles: 4 Niners who should feast on Philadelphia defense
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk
Yes, there are already the opening signs of panic second-year wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is destined to head down the same path as former San Francisco wideout Dante Pettis, whose impressive rookie-year efforts dropped off dramatically in year two.
True, Aiyuk saw precisely zero passes thrown in his direction in Week 1, whereas fellow wideout Deebo Samuel had the chunk plays leading up to 189 yards receiving and a touchdown.
So, Samuel should be the player to watch in Week 2, right?
Why not? But let’s highlight Aiyuk as a player to focus on here, as the Eagles will certainly shift the bulk of their attention, including top cornerback Darius Slay, over towards Samuel.
Related Story: It’s not time for 49ers fans to panic about Brandon Aiyuk… yet
Aiyuk might be the beneficiary of Samuel receiving more attention from Philadelphia’s secondary. And if one recalls Aiyuk’s 2020 performance against the Eagles, which included that 38-yard rushing/leaping touchdown, it’s not out of the question for him to be even more impressive in Week 2 this year.
Look for Aiyuk to break out from underneath the shell.