Aiyuk had five receptions on 10 targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Rams.

EDGE Analysis

Aiyuk failed to deliver in a prime opportunity to prove his new worth, with the 49ers lacking Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles), George Kittle (hamstring) and Deebo Samuel (calf). The wideout provided middling results on 10 targets, notably dropping a pass from Brock Purdy that hit the receiver in the mitts. Aiyuk will look to post big numbers against the Patriots next week after recording a disappointing 11/119/0 receiving line through three contests.

Aiyuk is expected to serve as the 49ers' No. 1 receiver for at least Sunday's game against the Rams after San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Deebo Samuel (calf) is likely to miss "a couple weeks," Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

After holding out for all of training camp and the preseason before finalizing a contract extension with the 49ers in late August, Aiyuk has had a muted role in the San Francisco passing attack though the first two weeks of the season. Though he was back to handling a normal snap share in Week 2 (88 percent), Aiyuk still finished with a modest 4-43-0 receiving line on five targets in this past Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Vikings. Samuel ended up missing just one snap due to the calf strain he suffered with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter and was the busier of the two receivers on the day with an 8-110-0 line on 10 targets, but his expected absence for Week 3 and likely Week 4 should free up more opportunities for Aiyuk. Wideout Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle could also see upticks in targets, but coming off a 1,342-yard season and with a new four-year, $120 million contract in tow, Aiyuk projects to be the primary option in the passing game for quarterback Brock Purdy.

Aiyuk had four receptions (five targets) for 43 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to Minnesota.

EDGE Analysis

Aiyuk was limited to five targets for the second consecutive week but saw his production increase against the Vikings compared to last week's two-catch dud against the Jets. The star wideout's low involvement was foreshadowed by head coach Kyle Shanahan prior to Week 1 after Aiyuk missed the entirety of the preseason schedule while in search of a contract extension. Dual-threat superstar Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) was placed on injured reserve prior to Sunday's tilt and will be missing in action for at least the first six games of the season. Deebo Samuel (8/110/0) and George Kittle (7/76/1) have picked up the slack in the passing game while Aiyuk continues to reintegrate into the game plan. The 49ers have thrown just one touchdown pass through two games this season, so a Week 3 matchup against the Rams could be when we see Aiyuk break out of his early season slump.

Aiyuk had two receptions (on five targets) for 28 yards in Monday's 32-19 win over the Jets.

EDGE Analysis

Head coach Kyle Shanahan foreshadowed that Aiyuk would see a limited role after missing the entire preseason waiting out his contract dispute with the front office. The 2020 first-round pick still saw five targets and did well on a per-touch basis, so fantasy managers shouldn't panic over the Week 1 dud. Better days will be ahead for Aiyuk and the passing game, potentially starting with Sunday's matchup against Minnesota.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday he'd be "surprised" if Aiyuk saw a full workload in the season opener Monday against the Jets, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

That's about as direct of coach-speak as you can ask for, and it makes some sense given Aiyuk missed the majority of August practices before ending his hold-in with a four-year, $120 million extension signed 10 days ago. The difficult part to decipher is how much of a workload Aiyuk will receive if it's not the "full" amount. It's more complicating considering Monday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. Given that the contest is against the vaunted Jets defense and that All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who himself just signed a recent extension, only recently returned from his holdout, it might be prudent for managers to avoid using Aiyuk if there are other viable options.

The 49ers and Aiyuk reached an agreement on a four-year, $120 million extension Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

The long offseason and preseason saga surrounding Aiyuk has now reached its conclusion, with the wide receiver reportedly getting $76 million in guaranteed money to stay in the Bay Area. Now that he's locked in with the 49ers for the foreseeable future, he'll be looking to uphold his standard as a 1,000-yard option in San Francisco's offense, something that he's accomplished in both of the past two campaigns.

Aiyuk is not present at Thursday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Aiyuk's absences were a mainstay of training camp for the 49ers, but it's notable for him to still be a non-participant after coach Kyle Shanahan offered hope Wednesday that the wideout would practice soon. Shanahan also stated Wednesday that Aiyuk has been cleared by team doctors, which could be an indication that San Francisco will consider implementing fines if the 2020 first-round pick's participation level doesn't change. With under two weeks remaining until the 49ers' regular-season opener against the Jets, a resolution to Aiyuk's situation should come soon, no matter the outcome.

Aiyuk was not present at the portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media, though head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he's hopeful that the wideout will resume participating soon, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Shanahan noted Wednesday that Aiyuk has been "cleared by our doctors," per David Lombardi of The Athletic. However, Aiyuk looks like he could be continuing his "hold in" while he seeks a contract extension. While it's notable that Aiyuk is officially healthy enough to practice after having contended with neck and back discomfort during training camp, his lack of a long-term deal clearly remains the true hurdle. The 49ers now have under two weeks remaining before the Sept. 9 season-opening matchup against the Jets, and Aiyuk has yet to practice with the team this summer.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested Wednesday that Aiyuk (contract dispute) could resume practicing soon, noting that he wideout has been "cleared by our doctors," David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports that Aiyuk had back and neck injuries during training camp, although the wideout's absence from practice this summer largely has been attributed to a contract dispute (and subsequent trade request). The contract is clearly the bigger issue, and there doesn't seem to be any question that Aiyuk currently is healthy enough to practice -- something he's yet to do this summer. Shanahan said he hopes to have Aiyuk practicing later Wednesday, but it's unclear if that's wishful thinking or a realistic goal.

49ers GM John Lynch said Thursday that he has no update on Aiyuk but remains in contact with the wide receiver, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's the offseason drama with no end, although at some point it might become slightly less complicated due to other teams losing interest in a trade (or at least giving San Francisco a deadline). The Steelers were thought to be the last man standing in that regard a week ago, with Cleveland and New England having failed to convince Aiyuk to sign a long-term deal post-trade. The 49ers still hope to sign him -- or at least get him back on the field under the fifth-year option he's currently under contract for -- and it would seem a trade becomes less and less likely with each passing day.