Mike Evans (hip) is banged up, and Demarcus Robinson (ankle) is out. Brock Purdy should lean more on Samuel in Week 3 against Arizona, and he is worth using as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. Samuel was great in Week 1 at the Rams in Australia with six catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, but he only had three catches for 31 yards on four targets in Week 2 against Miami. The Cardinals have allowed Ladd McConkey and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to each score at least 19.2 PPR points in the first two games of the season, and Samuel could be the No. 1 receiver for San Francisco if Evans is out. Samuel is a borderline No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues if Evans is out and a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver if Evans plays.
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Mike Evans (hip) is banged up, and Demarcus Robinson (ankle) is out. Brock Purdy should lean more on Samuel in Week 3 against Arizona, and he is worth using as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. Samuel was great in Week 1 at the Rams in Australia with six catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, but he only had three catches for 31 yards on four targets in Week 2 against Miami. The Cardinals have allowed Ladd McConkey and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to each score at least 19.2 PPR points in the first two games of the season, and Samuel could be the No. 1 receiver for San Francisco if Evans is out. Samuel is a borderline No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues if Evans is out and a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver if Evans plays.
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Totals 35 yards in Week 2 win
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Samuel caught three of four targets for 31 yards in the 49ers' 35-13 win over the Dolphins on Sunday. He rushed one time for four yards.
Samuel didn't have quite the success he did in Week 1 against the Rams, but San Francisco controlled this game from start to finish, and Brock Purdy needed to attempt only 22 passes. With the Niners continuing to lose wideouts to injuries, Samuel is locked into the WR2 role behind Mike Evans (hip) headed into next Sunday's home date with the Cardinals. Through two games, Samuel has nine catches for 79 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. He's also rushed two times for 16 yards.
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Sleeper WRs
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De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) is out, and we know that Samuel, Mike Evans and Demarcus Robinson will be the top receivers for the 49ers heading into Week 2 against Miami. All three did well against the Rams in Week 1. Samuel had six catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, and he added one carry for 12 yards. Evans had six catches for 49 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. And Robinson had two catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on three targets. Evans and Samuel are both worth starting in all leagues against the Dolphins, and Robinson is a good sleeper in deeper formats.
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, and we know that Samuel, Mike Evans and Demarcus Robinson will be the top receivers for the 49ers heading into Week 2 against Miami. All three did well against the Rams in Week 1. Samuel had six catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, and he added one carry for 12 yards. Evans had six catches for 49 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. And Robinson had two catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on three targets. Evans and Samuel are both worth starting in all leagues against the Dolphins, and Robinson is a good sleeper in deeper formats.
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Successful 49ers return in win
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Samuel brought in six of seven targets for 48 yards and a touchdown, rushed once for 12 yards and returned two kickoffs for 74 yards during the 49ers' 27-7 Week 1 win over the Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
The versatile Samuel made a splash in his return to the 49ers following a one-year stint with the Commanders, tying for the team lead in receptions and for runner-up status in targets as well with new teammate Mike Evans. Samuel's production was boosted by the second-quarter exit of De'Zhaun Stribling due to an ankle injury, and the highlight of the former's performance came when he recorded a 15-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter by mirroring Brock Purdy's movement across the field as the quarterback extended the play. Samuel's Week 1 usage implied he'll fill the same type of diverse role he previously thrived in within head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, and the veteran receiver is likely to remain busy in a Week 2 home matchup against the Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 20.
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Held out of preseason finale
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Samuel didn't play in Thursday's preseason victory against Las Vegas.
The 49ers rested most of their projected regular-season starters, so Samuel's absence was expected. The veteran wideout saw action in one exhibition contest, catching one of two targets for four yards. Samuel should have a key role in San Francisco's passing game due to Ricky Pearsall (knee) being out for the season, and he gives QB Brock Purdy some familiarity among a WR corps that features numerous newcomers, including Mike Evans (groin), rookie De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) and Christian Kirk (calf).
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: One catch in preseason debut
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Samuel brought in one of two targets for four yards in the 49ers' 41-17 preseason win over the Chargers on Thursday night.
Samuel and the rest of the healthy 49ers offensive starters were out there for the team's opening possession, and the veteran wideout ended up recording his first catch in a San Francisco uniform since Week 17 of the 2024 season. His reception came on the Niners' first play from scrimmage, and the 30-year-old figures to play a prominent role in the air attack throughout the 2026 season alongside new No. 1 receiver Mike Evans (quadriceps) and fellow offseason addition Christian Kirk (calf).
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49ers' Deebo Samuel: Back in San Francisco
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Samuel and the 49ers agreed on a one-year, $7 million contract Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Samuel will return to San Francisco after spending the 2025 campaign with the Commanders, with whom he reeled in 72 of 99 targets for 727 yards and five touchdowns while also adding 75 yards and a score over 17 carries in 16 regular-season contests. The wide receiver spent the first six seasons of his NFL career in Kyle Shanahan's offense with the 49ers, and he likely will have no problem fitting right back in. The 49ers are concerned about the availability of Ricky Pearsall (knee) in 2026, while free-agent addition Christian Kirk is dealing with a calf injury early in training camp. The team added veteran Mike Evans in free agency, and he'll enter the 2026 campaign as the team's No. 1 wide receiver. After Evans, Samuel will compete with Pearsall (if available), Kirk and rookie second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling for touches in the WR room.
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Deebo Samuel: Remains unsigned
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Samuel, who remains a free agent, is gearing up to play this season, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.
As long as he remains unsigned, Samuel remains a speculative fantasy option. However, with several NFL teams in need of veteran wideout depth, the 30-year-old figures to catch on somewhere before Week 1, and where he lands will determine his weekly lineup upside. Samuel, who believes that at this stage of his career that he has "at least like three, four good years left," is coming off a 2025 regular season with the Commanders in which he caught 72 of his 99 targets for 727 yards and five TDs while also carrying the ball 17 times for 75 yards and a score in 16 games.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Tops 90 scrimmage yards in loss
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Samuel caught two of four targets for 68 yards and added 25 rushing yards on two carries in the Commanders' 30-23 loss to the Cowboys on Christmas Day.
The 93 scrimmage yards were Samuel's highest total since Week 5. The veteran wideout hasn't handled more than four touches in any of the last four games, managing a 12-173-0 line on 19 targets during that span in addition to Thursday's 25 rushing yards. He'll look to make his first trip to the end zone since Week 11 in a Week 18 trip to Philadelphia.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Three grabs in win over Giants
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Samuel caught three of five targets for 43 yards in Sunday's 29-21 win over the Giants.
Marcus Mariota completed only 10 passes in total on the day, with Samuel and Terry McLaurin the only players to catch more than one of them, but Samuel's longest gain went for only 18 yards. The veteran wideout has hauled in multiple passes in every game he's played this season, and his 65 receptions through 13 contests are already the second-highest total of his career after his 77 in 2021 with the 49ers. Samuel will look for his first TD since Week 11 in a Week 16 clash with the Eagles.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Suiting up Sunday
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Samuel (illness) is active for Sunday's game at the Giants.
Samuel didn't practice Friday due to an illness and ultimately was deemed questionable for Week 15 action. His lack of inclusion on the Commanders' list of inactives Sunday has cleared him to resume his typical role, which has meant 70-plus percent of the offensive snaps in nine of his 12 appearances this season. Having said that, with top TE Zach Ertz out for the rest of the campaign due to an ACL tear that he suffered last Sunday in Minnesota, Samuel may experience a slight uptick in his usual 6.3 touches per game moving forward.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Sleeper WRs
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Samuel has scored at least 11.1 PPR points in three of his past four games, and he should get a boost in value with Zach Ertz (knee) out. Samuel also has a great matchup against the Giants, who are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. There have been 16 receivers who have scored at least 12.9 PPR points against the Giants, including one in every game this season. Samuel did that in Week 1 against the Giants with seven catches for 77 yards on 10 targets and one carry for 19 yards and a touchdown. I like Terry McLaurin as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, and Samuel is right behind him as a high-end No. 3 receiver.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Misses practice with illness
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Samuel missed Friday's practice due to an illness, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Terry McLaurin also was absent, but in his case it was a planned maintenance day. Samuel's absence is somewhat more concerning, though he'll have a couple of days to get healthy before a matchup with the Giants on Sunday. Commanders coach Dan Quinn didn't comment Friday on expectations for Samuel's availability.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: WRs to Sit
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Samuel had a respectable 11.1 PPR points in Week 13 against Denver with five catches for 64 yards on seven targets, but he was overshadowed by Terry McLaurin, who returned from his three-game absence with a quadriceps injury and had seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets for 22.6 PPR points. Samuel has now scored 11.1 PPR points or less in his past three games with McLaurin, and this is a tough matchup for both receivers in Week 14 against the Vikings, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Minnesota has not allowed a receiver to score double digits in PPR in three games in a row against Chicago, Green Bay, and Seattle, and no receiver has scored a touchdown against the Vikings in their past four games. I'll still use McLaurin as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, but Samuel is only worth starting in three-receiver leagues.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Samuel had a respectable 11.1 PPR points in Week 13 against Denver with five catches for 64 yards on seven targets, but he was overshadowed by Terry McLaurin, who returned from his three-game absence with a quadriceps injury and had seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets for 22.6 PPR points. Samuel has now scored 11.1 PPR points or less in his past three games with McLaurin, and this is a tough matchup for both receivers in Week 14 against the Vikings, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Minnesota has not allowed a receiver to score double digits in PPR in three games in a row against Chicago, Green Bay, and Seattle, and no receiver has scored a touchdown against the Vikings in their past four games. I'll still use McLaurin as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, but Samuel is only worth starting in three-receiver leagues.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: WRs to Sit
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Samuel was great in his last game against Miami in Week 11 with seven catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, and he scored 20.7 PPR points. But he played that game without Terry McLaurin (quadriceps), who is expected to return in Week 13 against Denver after a three-game absence. Samuel combined for 9.1 PPR points in the past two games he played with McLaurin in Week 3 against Las Vegas and Week 8 at Kansas City. The Broncos also could get Patrick Surtain II (pectoral) back after missing the past three games, and Denver is No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. I would only start Samuel in three-receiver leagues in Week 13.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: Finds end zone in OT loss
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Samuel caught seven of eight targets for 74 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 16-13 overtime loss to the Dolphins. He added three rushing yards on his only carry.
The veteran wideout scored Washington's only TD of the day on a 20-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter. Samuel has gotten into the end zone in back-to-back games, and he'll take a 53-470-5 line on 68 targets for the season into the Commanders' Week 12 bye. He's also chipped in 52 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
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Commanders' Deebo Samuel: WRs to Sit
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It was good to see Samuel score a touchdown in Week 10 against Detroit, but he only had four catches for 29 yards on five targets in that game. He now has four starts with Marcus Mariota, and Samuel has three games with fewer than 30 receiving yards over that span. This week in Madrid, Samuel is facing a Dolphins secondary that is No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Miami has only allowed two touchdowns to receivers in the past four games, and Samuel will likely have an empty stat line if he doesn't score. I would only use Samuel in three-receiver leagues in Week 11.
