San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings have fantasy intrigue

The 49ers have the fantasy intrigue with Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.

The San Francisco 49ers were dealt another blow to their youthful receiving corps this week as they lost Jalen Hurd for the 2020 season, robbing them of a versatile playmaker who was poised to play a significant role in the offense.

Hurd, who did not play in his rookie season because of a back injury, tore his ACL and will again be reduced to a spectator as the 49ers attempt to return to the Super Bowl.

While his latest setback is a tough pill for the Niners to swallow, it will increase the opportunities for the two rookie receivers they added during this year’s draft.

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First-round pick Brandon Aiyuk and seventh-round selection Jauan Jennings were taken at opposite ends at the draft, but both offer fantasy intrigue as part of a receiving corps that could be without Deebo Samuel for Week 1 following the Jones fracture he suffered in June.

Between Samuel’s potential absence and the injury to Hurd, Aiyuk appears set to dominate targets among San Francisco’s wide receivers. Aiyuk has strung together a series of big plays in the early days of training camp and looks to have already won the trust of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Garoppolo, per 49ers Webzone, said:

"“He’s been good. There’s flashes that you can see, that he has a good feel for feeling the zones, and when it’s man-to-man, he knows how to break off routes, just do what he has to do to get open. It’s a real natural instinct, just running routes, for him. It’s really cool to throw routes to a guy like that. He sees the field very similar to a quarterback, and it makes my job very easy.”"

The rapport Garoppolo and Aiyuk seem to have developed bodes well for the former Arizona State star hitting the ground running in his first year in the league.

It is worth tempering expectations somewhat. Rookie wide receivers rarely pass through a season without going through growing pains and superstar tight end George Kittle and returning slot receiver Trent Taylor will eat in Aiyuk’s target share.

Yet Aiyuk has the versatility to play every receiver position and is set to be atop the depth chart in 2019’s second-ranked scoring offense come Week 1. Aiyuk has an average draft position of 172 in standard-scoring leagues and 168 in PPR, per Fantasy Pros. His prominent role in the offense and reports of his burgeoning chemistry with Garoppolo should be enough to see that rise in the coming weeks before the season, with Aiyuk offering the potential to be a significant steal for those fantasy players astute enough to pick him.

Jennings is unlikely to be selected in drafts and there is no guarantee he will earn a place on the Niners’ roster.

However, Hurd’s injury gives him a path to ‘big slot’ role. At 6’3″ and 212 pounds, Jennings has the size and yards after catch ability to thrive in that capacity and brings the potential to be a significant threat in the red zone.

His success in that regard is dependent on having the chance to get in sync with Garoppolo. It is not worth investing in Jennings outside of dynasty leagues until he proves he has that connection with his quarterback on the field.

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But, given his big-play and scoring upside, Jennings’ progress should be closely monitored as he is a prospective waiver wire pickup who, if he earns a spot on the roster, could have a difference-making role on one of the league’s most devastating offenses.