Best and Worst Fantasy Landing Spots for Brandon Aiyuk After 49ers WR Requests Trade
The San Francisco 49ers are finding out the hard way that staying on top can be even harder than getting there.
After coming up just short of victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, the Niners entered the offseason facing the challenge of keeping the band together. And while quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for an extension in 2025, the most immediate concern for the team was an extension for star receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
However, while other wide receivers have received massive contracts this offseason, the 49ers and Aiyuk were unable to get anywhere. And after some public grousing and skipping mandatory minicamp, Aiyuk has seemingly finally reached a breaking point—per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, Aiyuk has officially requested a trade out of the Bay Area.
It's news that could have a major impact on both the 49ers and the fantasy value of Aiyuk, who currently has an ADP of WR14 in PPR scoring systems at Fantasy Pros. If Aiyuk does wind up switching teams in the weeks to come, some landing spots could boost Aiyuk's value inside the top 10 at his position—and others that could drop him outside the top 20.
Here's a look at a few of both—beginning with the most likely outcome to this whole situation.
Best: San Francisco 49ers
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We might as well start this off with the most likely outcome to the Aiyuk situation—that the 26-year-old Aiyuk isn't going anywhere.
This saga has been going on almost since the moment Super Bowl LVIII ended. All the way back at the NFL Scouting Combine, 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters that the team had every intention of locking Aiyuk up long-term.
"He served us very well as a franchise," Lynch said. "I think we've got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us, and Brandon's a guy we want to keep around for a long time."
Of course, since then not much has happened—except, that is, wide receivers like Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings receiving massive extensions averaging $30 million (or more) per season.
However, despite the lack of progress on a new deal, Aiyuk's apparent unhappiness with it and his trade request, the reality is that the fifth-year pro doesn't have much leverage. We have seen no shortage of players holding out in recent years in hopes of a new deal. Those holdouts almost always end one of two ways—with a new deal being worked out or the player caving and reporting.
The Niners have given zero indication that they are considering trading Aiyuk as they try to get back to the Super Bowl. Over the past two seasons, Aiyuk has posted at least 75 catches and topped 1,000 yards in both years, and he's recorded 15 touchdown receptions combined. He was 15th in PPR fantasy points among wide receivers two years ago and 13th last season.
If it's not broken, don't fix it.
Worst: Washington Commanders
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While talking about his contract impasse with the 49ers recently on The Pivot podcast, Aiyuk mentioned a couple of teams that he wouldn't mind playing for. One was the Washington Commanders, where Aiyuk would be reunited with former college teammate Jayden Daniels.
"I'm taking it personal. I have a vision for what I see myself as. If I were to take a guess, probably a Niner uniform. If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, probably a Steelers uniform. I feel like right now I'm in the right place, in the right spot, with the right quarterback right now. But we're not on the right terms. I just want to move forward. I want a team to look at me and value me as a top receiver, so I can continue to go out there and do what I do and show them every single day that's what I am."
As it happened, Daniels was also present for the podcast, fanning speculation that the duo could be attempting to engineer a second stint together.
On one level, the Commanders have both the cap space and the need at the position to swing a deal. No team in the NFC has more cap space than Washington's $37 million, and Washington's wideout room is loaded with question marks behind Terry McLaurin.
However, while Daniels has no shortage of potential, he has also never played a snap in the NFL. Sam Howell played a part in it, but no Commanders pass-catcher cracked the top 30 in fantasy points last season.
A trip to the nation's capital won't do Aiyuk's fantasy value any favors.
Best: Buffalo Bills
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Fantasy draft season is a time of hope for fantasy managers far and wide. So we might as well throw a dream scenario for Aiyuk's fantasy value in here.
Granted, it's highly unlikely that Aiyuk would be dealt to the Buffalo Bills. For starters, a new contract for Aiyuk would take quite the financial machinations from Bills general manager Brandon Beane—Buffalo is sitting on about $10 million in cap space. The Niners could also be reluctant to ship Aiyuk to a Super Bowl contender, even in the AFC.
However, that didn't stop Marissa Myers of TWSN from predicting that Beane will make an effort to pull off another blockbuster deal.
"The Bills are in a spot where the pressure is on this season, as Sean McDermott is on the hot seat and questions are circulating around Josh Allen," Myers wrote. "It's Super Bowl or bust for Buffalo, and a receiver core of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Curtis Samuel is one with potential, but the Bills don't have time to bank on that. Aiyuk would give them the boost they need on offense, and the 49ers would have one less contract situation to figure out with Brock Purdy's coming to an end as well. This is an ideal scenario for all involved."
In Buffalo, Aiyuk would immediately slot as the Bills' No. 1 receiver. Josh Allen's go-to guy in the passing game. And for Stefon Diggs, that meant massive fantasy numbers—four straight seasons with over 100 catches, 1,100 yards and at least eight scores.
2023 was considered a "down" year for Diggs, and he was ninth in PPR points among receivers.
In Buffalo, Aiyuk would be a locked-in fantasy WR1—and the top five could be a genuine possibility.
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Worst: New England Patriots
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If the Buffalo Bills are the dream landing spot for Aiyuk (outside staying in San Francisco), then the New England Patriots would be the nightmare.
As Matt Geagan wrote for WBZ News, the Pats have reportedly inquired about Aiyuk but were rebuffed by San Francisco. However, Geagan believes that if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
"That shouldn't stop teams like New England from calling again," he said. "And again and again and again. Aiyuk would immediately slot at the top of New England's depth chart, and give Jacoby Brissett (or Drake Maye) a legitimate No. 1 receiving threat in 2024 if the Patriots can work out a deal with the 49ers. The Patriots also have the money and cap space to pay Aiyuk, plus the draft capital it would likely take to pry him out of San Fran. He's also going to want targets, and the Patriots have a giant void atop their receiver depth chart that Aiyuk can fill."
In fairness, everything that Geagan said was true—the Patriots need a No. 1 wide receiver as badly as any team in the NFL. Cap space also wouldn't be an issue—New England's $43.8 million in wiggle room tops the league.
But we're talking about a Pats team that was 28th in the league in passing last year. The team brought in two new quarterbacks in No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. But the former is an untested rookie who could take time to acclimate to the NFL, and the latter is a journeyman backup.
Any chance Aiyuk has at his first top-12 fantasy season would evaporate the moment he was traded to New England. The offense just has too many questions, and Aiyuk would be bracketed constantly in coverage.
Best: Los Angeles Chargers
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It's not exactly surprising that some would connect Aiyuk to the Los Angeles Chargers. After jettisoning both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the offseason, the Chargers' wide receiver room is arguably their biggest weakness.
As Ryan Anderson wrote at LAFB, acquiring Aiyuk would turn one of the team's biggest weaknesses into a potential strength.
"We have already seen what Justin Herbert can do with a receiver that is as well-equipped as Aiyuk, but it was in the form of two receivers," he said. "Keenan Allen and Mike Williams complemented each other very well when it came to completing a route tree. Allen is excellent in short routes and Williams excelled as a deep option. When both were on the field Herbert was much much better off. With one or both injured, Herbert's completion percentage dropped more than 10 percent, and his EPA per dropback plummeted. Aiyuk has one of the most complete route trees in all of football. He would be Williams and Allen wrapped into one complete package."
Now, an Aiyuk trade isn't without obstacles—the Bolts have just over $20 million in cap space to work with, so the finances could be tricky. And when Jim Harbaugh last coached in the NFL, his 49ers team attempted the fourth-fewest passes in the league.
But Aiyuk would instantly be the No. 1 wideout in Los Angeles—by a sizable margin. A compelling argument can be made that Herbert is an upgrade under center over Brock Purdy. And the 2024 Chargers are a team that could be playing from behind with some regularity.
Worst: Pittsburgh Steelers
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This last one may surprise some folks. For starters, the Steelers have long been rumored to have interest in swinging a deal for either Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel. As Eric Williams wrote at Fox Sports, the reason for that interest is simple—after shipping Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers have issues at wide receiver behind youngster George Pickens.
"According to Over the Cap, the Steelers are spending $14 million in receiver salaries, third-lowest in the NFL," Williams said. Pittsburgh averaged just 18 points per game last year and had one of the worst passing offenses in the league, averaging just 186 yards per game. With Aiyuk, the Steelers would have a chance to create balance on offense, pairing two talented receivers with an already strong running game. That would help them compete in one of the NFL's best divisions."
Now, the Steelers have already made moves in an effort to improve that passing attack, acquiring a pair of new quarterbacks in the offseason in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Both are likely improvements over Kenny Pickett.
The question is how big an improvement.
Wilson is the likely starter in Pittsburgh. But we aren't talking about the Wilson who led the Seattle Seahawks to consecutive Super Bowl appearances. The 35-year-old was better in Denver in 2023 than 2022, but he was 20th in the NFL in yards per attempt. There's a reason the Broncos ate the biggest dead-cap hit in league history to be rid of Wilson.
Aiyuk would be a great get for the Steelers from an NFL perspective. But his fantasy upside could be capped in the Steel City. Never mind that his arrival would be the end of any potential for a breakout season from Pickens.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on X at @IDPSharks.
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