San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk looked like a future NFL superstar as a rookie last season. This fall, he’s barely been a major factor in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
In 12 games last year, he caught 60 passes for 748 yards and five touchdowns. He also added six carries for 77 yards and two more scores, as Shanahan looked for creative ways to get the ball into his hands.
Aiyuk entered his second season with incredibly high expectations. It’s safe to say that he hasn’t delivered upon them yet. Through five games, he’s been targeted just 15 times, catching eight passes for 90 yards and a touchdown, along with one run for eight yards.
Shanahan and Aiyuk have been dogged by questions of whether the talented receiver is in the doghouse. General manager John Lynch was a bit more open during a recent radio appearance, and had some pretty blunt words about his lack of development.
#49ers John Lynch says ‘it’s time’ for Brandon Aiyuk to break out of sophomore slump (eight catches in 2-3 start)https://t.co/XoOKaXEAUv
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) October 13, 2021
“The bottom line is we each have to find a way — I’m talking we as a team and Brandon as a player — because for us to get where we want to get, we need his talent and abilities on the field,” Lynch said on KNBR in San Francisco, per The Mercury News.
He’s a very talented young man and a hard worker, as well. We’ve gone to great lengths to explain kind of what the predicament is right now,” the GM added.
Jimmy Garoppolo has said it’s “just a matter of time” before Aiyuk blows up in a game this season. Shanahan says that he’s not in the proverbial “doghouse,” and blamed fantasy football for all of the speculation about his role.
Clearly there is some disconnect though, and Lynch’s comments about Brandon Aiyuk concede as much. Hopefully the 49ers manage to get him involved, because he’s far too talented for less than two receptions per game.
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