Brandon Aiyuk missing first game since 2020

SANTA CLARA — Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers’ top receiver through two games as well as last season, is not suiting up for tonight’s home opener.

Aiyuk’s shoulder injury Sunday has prompted the 49ers (2-0) to deactivate him against the New York Giants (1-1). He last missed a game in the 2020 regular-season finale of his rookie year.

The 49ers’ wide receiving corps will instead consist of Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud, Ronnie Bell and Chris Conley, an eighth-year veteran who got activated from the practice squad to make his potential 49ers debut.

Also inactive for the 49ers are cornerback Ambry Thomas, offensive lineman Nick Zakelj, defensive lineman Kalia Davis, running back Ty Davis-Price and linebacker Jalen Graham. Brandon Allen was designated as the third quarterback.

Aiyuk earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors with his season debut (eight catches, 129 yards, two touchdowns), and, despite hurting his shoulder on his first catch Sunday, he finished with three catches for 43 yards while rotating in that win over the Rams with Ronnie Bell.

Other pregame moves, announced just over three hours before the 5:15 p.m. kickoff, were the promotion of cornerback Tre Swilling (from the practice squad to the active roster), the release of cornerback Anthony Brown (two days after he was signed, though he could return next week) and the practice-squad activation of cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles.

Those extra cornerbacks, Swilling and Jean-Charles, fortify special teams and the cornerback unit in the wake of knee injuries to Samuel Womack (placed on Injured Reserve on Saturday) and Thomas (injured Sunday).

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The Giants, who rallied from a 20-0 halftime deficit Sunday, announced Wednesday they’ll be without star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) as well as two starting offensive linemen, left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and left guard Ben Bredeson (concussion).

Also inactive for the Giants are cornerback Cordale Flott, safety Gervarrius Owens, defensive end Azeez Ojulari and nose tackle Jordan Riley.

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Wildfire smoke continues to permeate the Bay Area air, so much so that the air-quality index read 132 near Levi’s Stadium about three hours before kickoff. That is not severe enough for the NFL to postpone the game, something required if the AQI reading reaches 200 or greater.