As we close in toward the new season, the ever-changing NFL landscape has player fantasy values constantly on the move, with key events like free agency continuing to roll on and the 2023 NFL Draft still to come.
Whether you’re used to the dynasty platform or are still learning the dynasty rules, let’s dive into the latest fantasy football value of San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk.
Brandon Aiyuk’s Dynasty Outlook and Value
The WR17 overall in 2022, Brandon Aiyuk had a career-best season after getting out of Kyle Shanahan’s dog house. Yet, did it feel like a WR17 season? If you ask the majority of managers who had Aiyuk on their rosters, they’ll probably tell you no.
Playing in all 17 games, Aiyuk set career highs in targets (114), receptions (78), yards (1,015), and touchdowns (eight). However, he was 25th in points per game at 13.4 PPR. Aiyuk was only a WR2 or better in 30% of his games. That’s it. 70% of the time, he was a WR3 or worse and scored fewer than 14 PPR points in each of those games 12 games.
That’s not to say there weren’t streaks during which Aiyuk looked great. His stretch between Week 6 and Week 11 saw him record over 80 yards as the WR18 or higher in four of five games. But even Week 11 is a red herring, as he only had two receptions and 20 yards on the day but somehow scored two touchdowns to salvage his fantasy outing.
MORE: 2023 Dynasty Rookie WR Rankings
That’s what gets maddening when it comes to Ayuk; there’s a lack of consistency in his week-to-week performances. And that’s not a new statement. Over three years, he’s finished as a WR2 or higher in only 33% of his games — meaning two out of three times, Aiyuk will likely disappoint you.
From an explosion perspective, and speaking only on the pure upside, I love Aiyuk because he can be a true vertical threat, whereas Deebo Samuel is great after the catch. But a vertical threat role is one that leads to a more boom-or-bust style of play.
Brandon Aiyuk’s Fantasy Ranking
When it comes to Aiyuk, I have a similar process as I do with Samuel, and ideally, I’d prefer to sell high on him and get away from the 49ers’ passing game. Aiyuk’s trade value will likely be more than his weekly value for dynasty in 2023, barring Trey Lance or Brock Purdy pushing the tempo and taking more vertical shots.
The way things stand right now, before any of the incoming rookies are added, Aiyuk is the WR32 in our PPR dynasty rankings. When looking at Superflex formats where QBs see an increase in value due to positional scarcity, Aiyuk is the No. 82 overall-ranked player.
I wouldn’t trade Aiyuk simply for the sake of trading him. He’s only going to be 25 years old, and both Samuel and George Kittle have had their own share of injuries. But if I could trade within the same tier for someone like George Pickens, I’d do it.
I’d also drop back a tier and get a player plus a pick and try to draft someone like Zay Flowers, who I can already see being ranked ahead of Aiyuk if the landing spot is ideal. That kid is seriously good. Either way, I could see either trade scenario being valuable for dynasty managers — both those competing and those rebuilding during the 2023 offseason.