Brandon Aiyuk Joins A Former Rookie Of The Year Quarterback In This NFL Mock Trade

The 2026 NFL Draft is set to start on April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As we get nearer to the opening night of the draft, trade talks are going to begin to heat up. There was a flurry of trades last month when the new NFL league season opened up, but things have since slowed down. With just 10 days left until the draft, things are about to pick back up.

One player we haven't heard much about is San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. After a breakout 2022 campaign and an even better 2023 campaign, Aiyuk had a tumultuous offseason with the 49ers after contract talks broke down. The two sides eventually came to a deal, but he suffered a severe knee injury after a slow start to the season, and we haven't heard from him since.

It has become clear that his days in San Francisco are over, but as of now, he's still on the roster. There doesn't seem to be a ton of interest in him around the league. Nevertheless, we do expect the 49ers to take what they can get at some point and ship him off. During the draft is the most likely time when he'll be traded. Someone will take a chance on him.

Washington Commanders - San Francisco 49ers Mock Trade

Washington Commanders Receiver

WR - Brandon Aiyuk

Sixth Round Pick

San Francisco 49ers Receive

Fourth Round Pick

Seventh Round Pick

Fantasy Impact

Aiyuk's fantasy impact will be linked directly to his health. We haven't seen him on an NFL field since Week 7 of the 2024 season, when he suffered a major knee injury. We also aren't completely sure if he missed the entirety of 2025 strictly because of the injury or if there were other factors involved between the player and the team.

If Aiyuk is anywhere close to where he was in 2022 and 2023, this would be an absolute steal for the Commanders. He has true WR1 upside and would be acquired with a Day 3 pick to play opposite Terry McLaurin. Fantasy owners would also likely get a steal. It's not out of the realm of possibilities that he could surpass McLaurin as the WR1 in Washington if this deal goes down.

It would also be a huge boost for quarterback Jayden Daniels, who will be returning from injury. McLaurin is coming off his worst professional season and will be 31 this season. They have a very weak WR room behind him, and Aiyuk could be a game-changer.

Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Washington Commanders

Washington needs wide receiver help, and acquiring Aiyuk for a Day 3 pick could allow them to use their earlier picks for different needs. Either way, they need to add someone with WR2 potential, and this would be a cheaper way to do so.

Why This Trade Makes Sense For The San Francisco 49ers

At this point, the 49ers have to get what they can get for Aiyuk. The situation appears to be damaged beyond repair. It would be a shock if they got anything higher than a fourth-round pick.

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