Brandon Aiyuk: The Overlooked Star Could Have a Big Game
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00:00 I'm very interested in Brandon Ayuk in this spot here. Six plus targets in each
00:07 of the first two postseason games. Three catches in both of those games. For Ayuk,
00:12 those are outliers. You go to the regular season, 12 games with six or more
00:16 targets. In nine of the 12, he cleared this would-be number of four and a half
00:21 receptions. And I typically, when I find a best bet, I also, because of you
00:27 probably, I love the playoffs. What I would say is, I'm going over four and a
00:31 half receptions, but don't worry about six plus, seven plus, eight plus catches,
00:36 because Ayuk is the type of wide receiver, Joe. He catches seven, eight
00:40 balls. He has 120 yards basically every single time. That's a great point. He has
00:44 seven 100-yard games. He's a leading wide receiver in regards to that. It's not
00:48 Debo, Samuel, or even George Kittle. George Kittle has stepped up in losses
00:53 for San Francisco this year, but never in wins in terms of 100-yard
00:57 performance. There's the opportunity in regards to this ballgame, but when you
01:01 look at Brandon Ayuk, a speedster, big body. We know the range and the catch
01:06 against Detroit last week stepped up. He is a playmaker, again, when you want to
01:10 get your playmakers in one-on-one opportunities in space. He can run great
01:14 routes, fly patterns, post patterns. Donnie, that's what you want to do as well,
01:19 which opens up secondary wide receivers underneath. And it feels like he doesn't
01:23 get enough shine, right? He's an unbelievable route runner, probably top
01:26 five in the NFL, and we take a look at that offense, the way it operates. Where
01:30 do I always go? Debo Samuel. I think he's gonna have a fantastic Super Bowl, two
01:33 weeks to prepare for him, for Kyle Shanahan to get him involved. You take a
01:36 look at George Kittle being that safety blanket over the middle, and of course
01:38 it's McCaffrey in the backfield, but we forget about how, like, Ayuk is gonna
01:41 have one-on-one coverage. Now, granted, we know Kansas City's defense is very, very
01:45 good in the secondary, but we're also talking about Kyle Shanahan saying, "You
01:48 know what? Let's go here, let's go there, let's set a play up or two. That double
01:51 move is going to be deadly in the Super Bowl, and those yards, Kevin, might be
01:55 cheap here." But, and just to mention, Zay Flowers abused them. I mean, he had one of
02:00 the wildest games I've ever seen from an NFL player. I mean, that drive is
02:03 marvelous. A 50-yard catch, probably should have scored, I don't know what he
02:08 was doing. Gets 15 tacked on for a taunting penalty. I don't think that
02:12 taunting penalties should exist, but since they do, the easiest one maybe I've
02:16 ever seen called in my entire life. Then just comes back for another 20-yard
02:21 reception. The only thing they say is, "Hey, just don't extend the ball over the
02:24 goal line. It usually leads to trouble." But he still had five for a buck, 15, and
02:31 should have probably put a touchdown in the end zone. It's just one of
02:36 those things, for so long, the number one wide receivers could not get loose
02:39 against this team. I will admit, though, my worry point is now that Debo is fully
02:44 healthy, Ben, I'm not betting the number one wide receiver.
02:49 (upbeat music)