Earlier today, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the media speculation that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk might be in his doghouse.
"No. It's not a doghouse," Shanahan said on KNBR before explaining that the second-year receiver's reduced playing time had more to do with him returning from an earlier injury and the emergence of Trent Sherfield.
Shanahan fully expects Aiyuk to earn more playing time as the season moves forward.
"I want Aiyuk to get that spot back, but Trent Sherfield doesn't make that easy," the coach added. "He has played at a high level. It's not personal. It's just about guys earning spots."
After practice today, Shanahan was once again asked about Aiyuk, this time about how the receiver performed in practice this week at The Greenbrier in West Virginia.
"Aiyuk did have a good week. He did," Shanahan responded.
Hopefully, for Aiyuk, that leads to more opportunities on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. So how does Shanahan evaluate what is a good week for his receivers?
"Just how you run your routes, how you do your blocking assignments, your MAs, how you take the new game plan, which you do on Wednesday to Thursday to Friday, and getting all the stuff. ... We have a pretty good group [of receivers], and I think all those guys had a pretty good week."
Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said Trey Sermon responded well in practice after the rookie running back was inactive during Week 1 against the Detroit Lions.
"There was a deliberate intent and an extra focus to him, an extra aggressiveness that I think his teammates felt," McDaniel said. "So, what that told me is, 'Hey, I didn't like not dressing. I want to play football. So how do I do that? I don't go and talk to people. I show people.'
"That's kind of the common denominator. Kyle always says to the players and coaches, 'Don't tell me, show me.' And he showed, I think all of us, that he really wants an opportunity, which he'll get this Sunday."
Shanahan also feels that Sermon has responded well this week, which will likely result in the running back being active this weekend—especially with Raheem Mostert out for the season.
"I thought he ran the ball better this week in practice," Shanahan said. "I think [McDaniel's comments are] accurate. Everyone, as the season starts to get going, you're getting better or worse, and it was good. I thought he got better this week."
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