National Football League

Could Brandon Aiyuk be 49ers’ WR1? ‘He’s taken his game to another level’

Updated Aug. 15, 2023 1:38 p.m. ET

The San Francisco 49ers' leading pass-catcher last season was neither Deebo Samuel nor tight end George Kittle.

It was Brandon Aiyuk. The Arizona State product led the 49ers in targets (111), receiving yards (1,015) and receptions (78), putting together the first 1,000-yard season in his three-year career. He also finished with eight touchdowns.

Expectations are even higher for Aiyuk in 2023, as he has regularly made spectacular plays in practice. Kittle attributes Aiyuk's stellar play to finally getting comfortable in head coach Kyle Shanahan's intricate offense.

"Now that he's figured out the offense, he gets to add his own sauce on top of all that," Kittle said. "And so now you see those cool plays, those cool catches where he's ripping it away from people. He's just taken another step. And it's because he has this foundation, this understanding of this awesome offense, that gives him the opportunity to just route people up and look like a superstar — which is what he is."

Selected No. 25 overall in the 2020 draft, Aiyuk said he receives daily motivation from practicing with one of the league's best receivers in Samuel. The South Carolina product earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after an impressive 2021 season and is working to get back to that level after not meeting his own high expectations last year.

"I love having him as a teammate because you have somebody around that motivates you," Aiyuk said about Samuel. "I get to watch him and see the stuff that he does, the way he goes about his business, and that motivates me to be better. And I'm sure he would say the same thing, so we have each other."

Aiyuk and Samuel combine to give the 49ers one of the most talented receiving tandems in the league, with both able to carry the offense as the team's No. 1 receiver. Aiyuk has been the best player on the field during training camp this year for the 49ers.

Aiyuk is a savvy route runner. He also has a wide catch radius for his size (6-foot and 200 pounds), a springy vertical at 40 inches, speed to get behind the secondary and the concentration to consistently make contested catches. Aiyuk said his favorite route is the "go" ball, attacking the back end of the defense for big plays.

"Last year I thought was the best year that he's had, and you usually know how they react to that based off the offseason," Shanahan said. "And he's been obsessed this offseason with football. You can tell he enjoys talking about it, he enjoys preparing for it and he's truly become a pro. And the results I think will keep showing."

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Added Samuel: "From Year 1 to now, his confidence level is through the roof. He walks in and walks out every day like nobody can guard him. And when you walk around with that type of attitude and take that to the field, it can only translate. He's taken his game to another level, and it's exciting to see."

With foundational players Fred Warner, Trent Williams, Arik Armstead, Christian McCaffrey, Samuel and Kittle already signed to lucrative, long-term deals, the 49ers will have to do some finagling financially to keep Aiyuk around long-term. He enters the final year of his rookie contract this season, when he's scheduled to make $2.3 million. The 49ers have picked up Aiyuk's fifth-year option for 2024, when he'll make $14.12 million.

But the 49ers have some work to do to make sure one of their best players on offense remains in the fold. For now, Aiyuk says he's focused on the present.

"Looking back, you get to see some of the success, but also some of the stuff that didn't go well," Aiyuk said about his maturation with San Francisco. "You just look at that, and you really see where you can take it to."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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