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Kyle Shanahan discusses rookie Brandon Aiyukâs potential workload in 49ers-Cardinals game
Sep 11, 2020 at 3:07 PM
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Second-year wide receiver
Deebo Samuel has been ruled out of the San Francisco 49ers' Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He did not practice this week and has not received any on-field work since suffering a Jones fracture in June.
Rookie wideout
Brandon Aiyuk did return to practice this week and was listed as "questionable" on the team's
official injury report on Friday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters after Friday's practice and was asked about his process in determining Aiyuk's potential role and workload on Sunday — assuming he plays — after missing time with a hamstring injury.
"My process is different with each individual," Shanahan said. "It kind of depends on how I feel about the individual, and what they can handle, what they can do with the limited reps. One good thing is we usually don't let guys come back and put them in practice until they've had a few healthy days before that. So it means he's going in the right direction."
Shanahan noted during a KNBR interview Friday morning that Aiyuk's status would be a game-day decision.
"Right now, I feel he could get through it," Shanahan said Friday afternoon. "We've just got to decide what that risk is. That will be something that you constantly talk to the trainers about, but it's also, at this point, something we've got to keep talking to Brandon about. But we'll make sure we do what's best for him."
As for Samuel, Shanahan said the 49ers believed he had a good chance to play this week. It just didn't work out.
"It didn't go the way we hoped, but it still will be day to day going on this next week," Shanahan added. "... We'll see how next week goes."
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