Brandon Aiyuk Leaves 49ers Training Camp Practice with Apparent Leg Injury

Bad day for injuries at 49ers training camp.

Bad day for injuries at 49ers training camp.

First Dee Ford left practice with what appeared to be a calf injury. Then rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk left the field with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Aiyuk was running deep up the sideline when he injured himself. Emmanuel Moseley was covering him well, and Aiyuk tried to accelerate to create some separation. But when he kicked his legs into a higher gear, something happened and he started jogging. Then he slowly jogged back to the sideline, walked off the field, came back later and watched the rest of the session.

Aiyuk had played so well in training camp before injuring himself. He had established himself as one of the top-three receivers on the depth chart along with veterans Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor. Aiyuk clearly is the most athletic healthy wide receiver on the team -- Deebo Samuel also is athletic, but he has a broken foot.

After Aiyuk went down, third-year wide receiver and former second-round pick Dante Pettis replaced Aiyuk on the first-team offense. Meaning Pettis might have a chance to actually play for a change if Aiyuk misses games.

Pettis has had a solid training camp after struggling big time a year ago. He hasn’t played well enough to compete for a starting job, but now he has an opportunity to prove himself.

If Pettis doesn’t step up, the 49ers can replace Aiyuk with Tavon Austin or J.J. Nelson. Or the 49ers can use two-tight end formations with George Kittle and rookie Charlie Woerner.

The 49ers have some decisions to make.