The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 1, winning 30-7 in a game where they never lost control, cruising to their first victory of the season.
While there were clear standouts on both sides of the ball, one player continued the excellent work he produced in the offseason in a monster Week 1 performance: Brandon Aiyuk, who caught all eight of his targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
Well, it seems like the NFL took notice, as Aiyuk was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1, starting off his 2023 campaign with an award already.
Brandon Aiyuk: your NFC offensive player of the Week.#49wz https://t.co/otr8GpZT0M
— Rohan Chakravarthi (@RohanChakrav) September 13, 2023
The award is Aiyuk's first-career NFC Offensive Player of the Week nomination, and he becomes the sixth 49ers wideout to win the award, as well as the third to earn the honors in Week 1, following Jerry Rice in 1994 and Anquan Boldin in 2013.
In Week 1, Aiyuk was the lone wideout to go over 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the NFL, signifying his dominance in his first performance of the season.
Fresh off his first 1,000-yard season, Aiyuk only looks further improved in 2023, a crucial season for the wideout, as the former first-round pick could receive a hefty extension this offseason with another strong year.
That started in Week 1, where Aiyuk paced the 49ers in targets, receptions, and touchdowns, while averaging 16.1 yards per catch, seemingly showcasing his connection with quarterback Brock Purdy.