Kyle Shanahan may be short of one of the most critical components of his offense on Sunday, with Deebo Samuel listed as questionable for the 49ers' Week 4 game with the Cardinals.

Yet for as much as Samuel's potential absence complicates matters for the Niners head coach, the return of Brandon Aiyuk from a shoulder injury that saw him miss Week 3 is one that will provide Shanahan with plenty of solutions to help him overcome the loss of Samuel if he does indeed miss out.

Aiyuk was the 49ers' leading receiver in 2022 and made an explosive start to 2023 with eight catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 before suffering his injury on the opening series against the Rams.

Samuel's calling card is his versatility, the 2019 second-round pick possessing the ability to do substantial damage as both a runner and a receiver, and the 49ers have arguably yet to really harness the full potential of having both Samuel and Christian McCaffrey on the field at the same time, though they have still averaged 30 points a game this season.

Their multiplicity receives a substantial amount of focus, but in Aiyuk the 49ers are getting back a player whose versatility is underrated. Aiyuk offers the Niners a legitimate X receiver who can beat press coverage off the line of scrimmage. He wins with his route-running and also does an impressive job after the catch, Aiyuk possessing the ability to do damage from the outside and the slot. 

And his is a skill set Shanahan is relishing getting back into the lineup.

"He had a real good week," Shanahan said of Aiyuk's week of practice. "Yeah, he’s good to go, off the injury report. Excited to have him back."

Asked how much Aiyuk's varied range of abilities does for his offense, Shanahan replied:

"A lot. Every guy’s so important that we have out there and every guy is a very good player and every guy affects the other player too. So, depending on where they roll the defense, everyone’s got matchups and matchup advantages, but Aiyuk can run all the routes that any receiver can. He can play outside, he can play inside, he can play like a fast, quick guy and he can play like a long, big guy. Aiyuk is a very versatile player."

With Samuel and Jauan Jennings, listed as doubtful with a shin injury, potentially out of the lineup, Aiyuk needs to hit the ground running on his return. He has all the traits to be a dominant receiver. His hot start interrupted, it is imperative he picks up where he left off and showcases his ability to overwhelm defensive backs to help remove any possibility of a Cardinals upset.

Deebo Samuel believes 49ers wide receiver injuries could be a blessing in disguise

It’s getting some other players reps.