Why is 49ers duo of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk so underrated?

The 49ers’ tandem of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk is certainly good, but there’s a real trend of the two being overlooked in NFL circles.

No, we’re not talking about the second coming of the San Francisco 49ers’ two best wide receivers of all time, Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, although it’s fun to think back to the time when both Hall of Famers actually played together.

However, the Niners are certainly hoping 2022 winds up being the season in which top wideouts Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk create their own tandem that takes full command of the NFL.

And there are plenty of reasons to believe they will.

After a promising rookie year, followed by a slowish start to the 2021 season before finishing strong, Aiyuk is looking to fully latch on as a top-end counterpart to Samuel, the “wide back” first-team All-Pro. And while Samuel has emerged as a household name after racking up 1,770 all-purpose yards and 14 net touchdowns, Aiyuk might be the player to watch this season.

That said, the pair still isn’t wholly being viewed as one of the league’s elite this year. Close, perhaps. But not within the top five.

49ers WR duo of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk is overlooked

As a whole, including depth receivers, Pro Football Focus ranked the Niners’ receiver corps at No. 6 heading into the new year.

Still in the elite category, PFF nevertheless placed the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 1, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Miami Dolphins, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Las Vegas Raiders in that order ahead of San Francisco.

The Samuel-Aiyuk tandem didn’t even make Bleacher Report’s list of top-five wide receiver duos entering 2022, and the two weren’t even included on B/R’s honorable mentions either.

A slight? Perhaps.

Why would NFL sleep on 49ers tandem of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk?

B/R’s list swapped out the Eagles for the Minnesota Vikings’ tandem of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, which arguably makes more sense.

Either way, when wondering if any team’s players or units should be moved up into a top-whatever list, it’s also important to bump out someone or something else.

Fans and pundits can argue about that all day long (and they’ll certainly do so all season). But there’s likely a simple reason why the 49ers don’t possess a top-five ranking with Samuel and Aiyuk.

It’s Aiyuk.

This isn’t a slight. Rather it’s just pointing out some facts and analysis. For starters, Aiyuk has yet to enjoy that benchmark 1,000-yard season over his first two years in the league, and a top-end tandem has to boast dual 1,000-yard receivers to earn stronger consideration.

Additionally, Aiyuk’s stock value certainly wasn’t aided by being in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s proverbial doghouse early in 2021, which cut into what the former first-round NFL Draft pick’s numbers could have looked like if he remained as consistent throughout the year, perhaps getting far more than the 56-catch, 826-yard, five-touchdown campaign he nevertheless enjoyed.

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However, with quarterback Trey Lance under center, Aiyuk figures to be a prime beneficiary who can take advantage of Lance’s stronger arm, which wasn’t the case with the Niners’ former starter under center, Jimmy Garoppolo.

Provided he stays healthy, Samuel is the constant. Aiyuk is the X-factor here.

And if the latter winds up showcasing his full talents over the course of 2022, there’ll be little doubting the Niners’ top receiver duo winds up in a top-five ranking.