On Monday, the San Francisco 49ers received unpleasant news: wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a calf strain late in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings and is expected to miss "a couple of weeks."
The 49ers placed running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve just days earlier, making him ineligible for four games. However, one report indicated that McCaffrey may need six or more weeks to recover from the Achilles tendinitis that has been troubling him.
This means the team will face the Los Angeles Rams this weekend and the New England Patriots a week later without two of its most valuable offensive stars.
After Sunday's defeat, the 49ers can't afford another slump like last season's three-game losing streak, especially with championship aspirations within the organization.
Before the season started, the 49ers ended a lengthy standoff with Brandon Aiyuk, making him one of the NFL's highest-paid wide receivers with a four-year, $120 million contract extension. However, through two games, Aiyuk has only six catches for 71 yards and no touchdowns on 10 targets.
His four catches against the Vikings, in the sweltering heat of U.S. Bank Stadium, marked an improvement over Week 1's two-catch performance. Still, the 49ers will need Aiyuk to step up in the coming weeks to offset the losses of Samuel and McCaffrey.
"I felt better today, but it was hot," Aiyuk said after Sunday's game via NBC Sports Bay Area. "Super hot out there, but solid. I think I played more snaps this week. Probably like 80 percent, 85."
Aiyuk played 61 offensive snaps, which accounted for 87 percent of the total. Despite the receiver's modest stats, quarterback Brock Purdy isn't worried about any lack of rhythm with his top target.
"For me, I think he looks pretty good," Purdy said after the game. "But I'm dropping back [and not thinking], 'B.A.'s not like what he's been like.' I don't think that at all. I think, for me, I just try to go through my reads, and he's been where he where he needs to be.
"There's probably a couple of routes, maybe, in certain looks, where we both could have been better on some stuff, but that's just like early-in-the-season stuff, if you ask me. I know that we'll continue to get better together in our connection and everything, but for four quarters, I thought B.A. grinded, and went and competed, and I'm proud of him for that."
After reviewing the film, head coach Kyle Shanahan echoed those sentiments.
"I think B.A. looks 100 percent," Shanahan said. "... Just in terms of him running stuff and health, he's 100 percent."
Shanahan dismissed the idea when asked why Aiyuk wasn't more involved in the passing game and whether the offseason standoff contributed to his reduced production.
"No, there was actually a number of times he had a real good chance to get the ball, and a couple times protections broke down on two of them," Shanahan replied. "One time, someone busted a route and just got in the same way, so they covered it up. But he had a chance to get about four big passes, and other factors happened.
"It's a team game. There are 11 guys out there that are involved in getting someone the ball. He did have some opportunities where he should have, but not everything went right."
With Samuel and McCaffrey sidelined, the 49ers need Aiyuk to play a more prominent role on offense. Although early-season struggles are understandable, the team can't afford much delay in Aiyuk reaching his full potential.
