How the 49ers are Wasting Brandon Aiyuk's Talents

The 49ers offense has entirely too much talent to score just 16 points per game, which is its average through four games. And the most underused player on the offense by far is Brandon Aiyuk.

If I were his agent, I would be livid.

Aiyuk did everything right this offseason. Showed up to every voluntary workout. Practiced his butt off. Dominated his peers. And yet, he still catches roughly just three catches per game. He's an afterthought in a bad offense that desperately needs someone talented to step up.

Aiyuk is extremely talented. He's an excellent route runner, he's a fast downfield target and he has long arms to make acrobatic catches near the sideline. In those ways, he's the opposite of Deebo Samuel, who is not a great route runner and doesn't have long arms, but he accelerates quickly and is difficult to tackle. That's why he runs so many screens and slant routes.

Aiyuk should be running vertical routes and out routes and corner routes -- that's what he runs best. Instead, he runs screens and slants just like Samuel. But Aiyuk isn't nearly as good after the catch as Samuel. Doesn't stop and start as quickly as Samuel.

The 49ers need to use Aiyuk differently. Need to get him the ball down the field and outside the numbers. And if they throw it to him underneath, they should run him on crossing routes or drag routes so he can build up to full speed before he gets the ball.

The 49ers also should line up Aiyuk in the slot for a change -- he almost always lines up outside. A weak-armed quarterback such as Jimmy Garoppolo will have an easier time throwing outside the numbers to wide receivers who line up in the slot than ones who line up near the sideline. Imagine a bunch formation with Aiyuk running an intermediate route, Samuel running an underneath route and Danny Gray running a deep route. Why haven't we seen that yet?

Use some freaking creativity with Aiyuk for a change. Don't reserve it all for Samuel.