Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings: Draft Brandon Aiyuk Or Jauan Jennings?
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The San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver core is one to watch this season. They have two WRs with similar ADPs, which could be tricky for fantasy players to navigate.
Those players are Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. Both Aiyuk and Jennings have had very different career paths, but both find themselves at the top of San Francisco's WR depth chart when they are fully healthy.
The problem is Brandon Aiyuk isn’t coming into this season fully healthy, and Jennings might find himself being the de facto WR 1 for the Niners this season, although Ricky Pearsall may have something to say about that.
With question marks surrounding the 49ers' wide receiver room, we break down which player holds more value in fantasy football this season.
Brandon Aiyuk | ADP: WR 51 138th overall
Since entering the league in 2020 as the 49ers first-round draft pick (25th overall), Brandon Aiyuk has been one of the most promising young receivers in the NFL. From 2020 to 2024, he eclipsed his receiving total from the season before, getting 748 yards in 2020, 826 yards in 2021, 1,015 yards in 2022, and 1,342 yards in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024.
The 49ers placed Brandon Aiyuk on the PUP list to start the 2025 season as he works his way back from the torn ACL and MCL suffered in Week 7 of last year. He is rumored to be targeting a return in Week 6.
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk will start the season on the PUP list, per @AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/GRwNtzqDfQ
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 26, 2025
Jauan Jennings | ADP: WR 46 101st overall
Jauan Jennings burst onto the scene last year, catching 77 balls for 975 yards and 6 touchdowns. This eclipsed his previous yardage total from his last three seasons combined, 282 yards in 2021, 416 yards in 2022, and 265 in 2023, totaling 963 yards.
A significant portion of these yards came following Aiyuk’s injury, when Jennings was thrust into an expanded role. Prior to 2024, the former seventh-round pick had seen limited opportunity, logging just seven career starts from 2021 to 2023 before earning 10 starts last season.
This breakout season also led him to receive the nickname "Third and Jauan" due to the success he had on third-down plays last season.
Third and Jauan is the definition of CLUTCH 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lpK0vtn6tz
— The Warner House (@TheWarnerHouse_) January 30, 2024
Brandon Aiyuk Vs Jauan Jennings Fantasy Football Verdict
As the old saying goes, the best ability is availability. Although Brandon Aiyuk is the more established wide receiver with the bigger upside, there are questions about when he will be able to return and how effective he will be upon his return.
In fantasy football, missing a player for 5 weeks or more could be crucial in the race for a title, as you may already be in a hole you can't dig yourself out of.
Expect Jennings to build on his career season from a year ago and continue to maximize his opportunities to thrive in the Kyle Shanahan offense. He is the 49ers WR you should be looking to target in your fantasy draft this season outside of Pearsall.
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Ryan Shea is a seasoned sports enthusiast with a sharp eye for strategy and a deep love for the game—no matter the sport. Whether he’s analyzing roster moves or spotting trends before they hit the headlines, Ryan brings a unique mix of research, instinct, and insider perspective to his writing. With over a decade of experience dominating fantasy leagues, he knows what it takes to build championship-caliber lineups. A diehard fan of all things New York, Ryan proudly reps the Jets, Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers—win or lose.