How the 49ers can overcome Brandon Aiyuk's injury and fill the gap at wide receiver – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

SANTA CLARA – The 49ers will likely be without Brandon Aiyuk for the remainder of the season amid concerns the wide receiver suffered an ACL injury in Sunday's 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium.

“We're concerned it's an ACL,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. “Not confirmed yet, but we'll find out for sure tomorrow.”

Aiyuk's injury, which he suffered late in the first half, is a blow to the 49ers' receiver group, which was considered the deepest position on the roster.

But it’s not time for the 49ers to look outside the building for help — at least not yet. Shanahan now needs his own players who can recover quickly from illness and injury.

In the past, Shanahan has relied on Deebo Samuel to carry the load, but on Sunday morning the wide receiver was struck down by an illness that he initially tried to cover up.

Samuel was on the field at the start of warmups but did not return for pregame drills. The All-Pro eventually came back and tried to play, but couldn't catch his breath, left the field a few minutes before halftime and didn't return.

In the week leading up to the game, Samuel was dealing with a wrist injury that limited him at practice, but he was no longer on the 49ers' injury report on Friday. He will most likely be able to play next Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

The 49ers were already without Jauan Jennings, who is still dealing with a hip injury suffered in a Week 6 win at Seattle. Shanahan doesn't believe Jennings' injury is considered long-term, and he hopes to have the third-down specialist back next week.

Without the 49ers' top three wide receivers on the field, rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, along with second-year pro Ronnie Bell and veteran Chris Conley, saw increased playing time in the second half.

The first-round draft pick's return couldn't have come at a better time. After playing just 17 offensive snaps in the first half, Pearsall played a more prominent role in the second half and was on the field for nearly every play.

While the rookie's stats were modest – he caught three of his five targets for 21 yards – Shanahan Pearsall will likely be even more integrated into the offense if Aiyuk does miss the rest of the season. The Florida product is a skilled route runner and could take on more responsibility.

The offense could also turn to Cowing, who is undeniably quick and can stretch the field. The rookie caught two of his three targets for 50 yards on Sunday – with one catch on a deep go route for 41 yards.

While the 49ers lost one of their greatest playmakers in Aiyuk, there are still capable receivers. However, if they suffer another major injury, they may have to look elsewhere before the NFL trade deadline on November 5th.

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