Where do Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel rank among the NFL’s top receivers?

Much has been said about the San Francisco 49ers wide receivers this offseason, as both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel have been involved in trade rumors, given their respective contract situations.

Still, with training camp just a month away, both wideouts remain on the 49ers, which is expected to be the case for the 2024 NFL season.

Aiyuk, 26, is coming off an second-team All-Pro year where he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the 49ers.

Samuel, on the other hand, bounced back in 2023 with 892 receiving yards and 225 rushing yards, and is heading into a contract year where the 49ers could entertain trade discussions once again.

Where does 49ers wideout duo rank among the NFL’s top receivers?

Doing his annual NFL Top 100 list, CBS’s Pete Prisco ranked both wideouts inside his Top 100 players on a list that included a bevy of players at the position.

Aiyuk came in at No. 45, which was a significant jump from being unranked on Prisco’s list last year.

“He had 75 catches with seven touchdowns, but his big-play ability was key to the 49ers’ passing game. He averaged 17.9 yards per catch, which was the best in the league for players with 70 or more catches,” Prisco wrote.

At No. 45, Aiyuk is the ninth-ranked receiver on the list, trailing Tyreek Hill (No. 4), Justin Jefferson (No. 7), Ja’Marr Chase (No. 13), CeeDee Lamb (No. 21), Davante Adams (No. 26), A.J. Brown (No. 27), Amon-Ra St. Brown (No. 39), and Jaylen Waddle (No. 42).

Samuel made the list and ended up at No. 81, which was 24 spots lower than his No. 57 ranking on Prisco’s list from the year before.

“He is a pure football player who can do a lot of things for the 49ers offense. His toughness is a big part of their identity. He had 60 catches with seven going for touchdowns, and also rushed for five scores and 225 yards,” Prisco wrote.

At No. 81, Samuel is the 14th-best wideout on the list, and comes in ahead of DeVonta Smith (No. 82), D.J. Moore (No. 84), and Mike Evans (No. 88).

Aiyuk’s ranking is certainly justified, as the 49ers wideout enjoyed a breakout season, ranking among the top receivers in a number of efficiency metrics, while still putting up high-end numbers, despite not having the sheer volume of some of his peers.

Samuel had a bounce-back year after an up-and-down 2022 campaign that the wideout characterized as “awful”, proving to be one of the most versatile weapons still, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark from scrimmage.

Are the two rankings justified?