49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: May be needed right away

With Deebo Samuel recovering from foot surgery, the 49ers may need to give Aiyuk a bigger role than initially planned early in the season, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Aiyuk and Samuel both are known for their prowess picking up yards after the catch, a trait that's especially valuable in Kyle Shanahan's horizontally oriented offense. The rookie first-round pick already had a decent shot to earn a starting job before the Samuel injury, as he was supposed to compete for snaps with the likes of Kendrick Bourne, Trent Taylor, Jalen Hurd and Dante Pettis. While Samuel expects to complete his rehab process in approximately 10 weeks, other reports put the estimate anywhere between two and four months. Meanwhile, Aiyuk has been medically cleared from the core muscle surgery he had in early April, presumably leaving him ready for full participation whenever the 49ers are able to practice.