DeeboSamuel Sr.

News: 2 days agoSamuel corralled two of three targets for 32 yards in Friday's preseason tie with the Raiders.

Spin: Samuel did not have a rushing attempt in Friday's exhibition, seeing action over the team's first three drives before exiting with the rest of the starters. Fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk remained out of uniform due to continued contract negotiations that have dominated the offseason headlines in San Francisco. Samuel's role is unlikely to change even if Aiyuk gets moved, giving fantasy managers confidence in the former's productivity come Week 1.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: The 49ers are flush with talent, making each player's volume difficult to predict on a weekly basis. Christian McCaffrey's arrival, however, appears to have had the biggest impact on Samuel, whose rushing opportunities have dwindled from 3.7 per game in 2021 to 2.5 per contest in 2023. Still, the wideback continued to produce for fantasy managers, thriving in the red area of the field with a team-leading number of red zone looks (17) and 12 total TDs (WR4). While durability is a concern, Samuel's versatile usage and overall efficiency provide him with a sky-high ceiling. Target him as a WR2.