49ers' Brandon Aiyuk Reportedly Could Start Season on PUP List Amid Knee Injury Rehab

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk reportedly could start the regular season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list as he rehabs from knee surgery.

Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (h/t 49ers Webzone's David Bonilla) relayed the update on Aiyuk during an appearance on KNBR, noting that the team has not ruled out the possibility of Aiyuk being ready for the season opener:

“Even though the timeline, everything being equal, might point toward, Hey, there’s a chance Week 1 — and there still might be a chance Week 1 — I think the feeling inside the organization has always been don’t take any chances, start him off on PUP when they report to training camp on July 22, and then more than likely, just have that carry over into the regular season,” Maiocco said.

Bonilla noted that head coach Kyle Shanahan already said Aiyuk will start training camp on the PUP list.

It’s a better-safe-than-sorry approach for a 49ers team that battled injuries throughout last season — including to left tackle Trent Williams and star running back Christian McCaffrey, who appeared in just four games.

Despite the plan to put Aiyuk on the PUP list, Maiocco noted that the wide receiver is "ahead of schedule in his rehab."

"From what I understand, he's doing really well. Also, from what I understand, is it's not out of the question that he could be ready Week 1," Maiocco said, per Bonilla. "And then, it's quite possible that he could be ready Week 5 or Week 6, getting up to speed quickly. But everything I'm hearing is that things are looking good, and that the progress is even ahead of where the markers were that the 49ers put on him when he had that surgery."

The 27-year-old wide receiver suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee during the 49ers’ Oct. 20 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Over seven games, he totaled 374 yards on 47 targets.

The 49ers will kick off their season on Sept. 7 against the Seattle Seahawks on the road.