What to do with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk in Week 5 fantasy football

The San Francisco 49ers could very well see quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo return this week against the Miami Dolphins. That has the potential to give the team’s wide receiver corps an added boost this week against a defense that has struggled to stop the pass.

Deebo Samuel made his 2020 debut last week. He saw limited reps as he nurses his way back from a foot injury, but when he did touch the ball he was productive. Brandon Aiyuk should see action in the passing and running game this week as well.

Fantasy Football analysis: 49ers WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk

Samuel still doesn’t have a full game of action under his belt, as he just played 35% of the team’s offensive snaps. He’s also been dealing with an illness, which is making his status questionable for Sunday’s game. If he does play, he should see more snaps, but since he’s had to sit out of practice this week, it probably won’t be as much as originally planned.

Aiyuk has seen his opportunities go up each week he’s seen action. Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles he caught two passes for 18 yards, but also ran the ball once for a 38 yard score. He’s had decent production in both facets of the game thanks to his speed.

The Dolphins have been gashed by wideouts before, giving up an average of 26 fantasy points per week in standard leagues.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

With the uncertainty surrounding Samuel’s illness, it’s probably smart to sit him. Even if he does play, he likely won’t play much more than he did last week.

Aiyuk on the other hand will undoubtedly see a ton of snaps, and with his speed he has the potential to have some big plays against Miami, so he would be a good play to start.