Do the 49ers Expect Brandon Aiyuk to Have a Dominant Season?

If Aiyuk isn't an explosive deep threat anymore, then he's just an expensive version of Jauan Jennings.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs after a catch against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

When the 49ers went to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, Brandon Aiyuk was their leading receiver.

Not only did he gain 1,342 yards, but he also averaged a whopping 17.9 yards per catch, which means he was the deep threat. He was the guy who made defenses pay for overcommitting to stop Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.

Now, Aiyuk is coming off a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus. John Lynch recently said that Aiyuk's recovery is going extremely well and that he's ahead of schedule, but wouldn't say what that schedule is.

It sounds like Aiyuk has a chance to play early in the season, if not Week 1. If that's the case, can the 49ers expect Aiyuk to be a dominant player in 2025? That's one of the biggest questions facing the 49ers this offseason, according to Bleacher Report.

"The 49ers may or may not have a rapid turnaround in 2025," writes Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox. "They battled multiple injuries last season, which led to a disappointing 6-11 record. They had a similar season in 2020 and rebounded to reach the NFC Championship Game in 2021.

"To compete this season, San Francisco will need its biggest stars to be and stay healthy. The big concern on the injury front right now is wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who suffered a torn ACL and MCL in October.

"The 49ers could need him after trading Deebo Samuel early in the offseason, as 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall remains a relative unknown and tight end George Kittle isn't getting any younger. If Aiyuk appears set to miss significant time during the regular season, general manager John Lynch may need to consider adding receiver help."

It seems the 49ers need to have a contingency plan just in case Aiyuk isn't fully himself in 2025. Usually, players who tear their ACLs need two years to make a full recovery. So Aiyuk will play at some point, but it's unrealistic to expect him to play like he did in 2023 right away. He didn't even play that well in 2024 before he injured his knee. That 2023 season might have been a one-off.

If Aiyuk isn't an explosive deep threat anymore, then he's just an expensive version of Jauan Jennings. The 49ers have their plans for the future at the receiver position. It's possible Aiyuk isn't in them.