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49ers: Brandon Aiyuk must step up early after Deebo Samuel injury

By Nicholas McGee

TEMPE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 29: Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk #2 of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs with the football en route to scoring on a 77 yard touchdown reception against the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second half of the NCAAF game at Sun Devil Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TEMPE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 29: Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk #2 of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs with the football en route to scoring on a 77 yard touchdown reception against the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second half of the NCAAF game at Sun Devil Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Brandon Aiyuk is under pressure to perform as a rookie for the 49ers

Brandon Aiyuk was already set for a significant role in the San Francisco 49ers offense as a rookie, and there will be a greater onus on him to live up to his first-round draft pick status after the reigning NFC champions suffered an early injury blow.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Deebo Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his foot that will require surgery.

Responding on Instagram, Samuel posted that he expects to be ready for the start of the 2020 season. However, the Niners have to prepare for the possibility of being without Samuel early in the campaign and that will thrust Aiyuk, whom they traded up to the 25th overall pick to select, further into the spotlight.

It is difficult to undersell how important Samuel was to the 49ers last year, with his versatility pivotal to their performance in the running game and the passing attack.

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He finished the regular season with 961 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. Samuel also set the record for rushing yards by a wide receiver in a Super Bowl with 53 in the 49ers’ defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in February.

Aiyuk compares well to Samuel, he is of a similar body type and possesses a combination of elusiveness and physicality as a runner after the catch akin to that of last year’s second-round pick.

Though the Niners may have envisaged Aiyuk operating more as a boundary receiver, he could now be required to operate in the role Samuel performed to such a devastating effect last season.

Aiyuk, whose tape suggests a receiver even faster than Samuel, has the skill set to excel on reverses and designed hand-offs out of the backfield and catching passes from the slot and boundary. Look for Kyle Shanahan, fresh off of a new deal, to get his rookie wide receiver the football early and often.

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He had nearly 1,200 receiving yards in his final season at Arizona State. It is unrealistic to expect Aiyuk to deliver the same production as a rookie after a shortened offseason but, if Samuel is unavailable for the start of the season, the Niners will need him to adapt quickly and hit the ground running.