Career Contextualization

To say Deebo Samuel broke out in 2021 is accurate, but that’s probably underselling his performance. Samuel exploded onto the scene last season, finishing as the WR2 in half-PPR formats thanks to his receiving and rushing abilities.

Samuel is a wide receiver who runs like a running back. He’s a bull in the open field and isn’t afraid of contact. The 49ers knew this and treated Samuel as a real-life swiss army knife. Samuel was used often out of the backfield and finished his third season with 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. Additionally, he had 59 carries for 365 yards and eight rushing scores. If you had Samuel on your team in 2021, he likely was your team’s MVP.

Durability is still somewhat of a concern for Samuel. He only missed one game in 2021 but was nicked up throughout the season. Conversely, he missed nine games in 2020.

Current Situation

Samuel’s current situation is a little murky at the moment, as he could be in a contract dispute with San Francisco. And like any disgruntled athlete, Samuel wiped away all affiliation with the 49ers from his social media accounts. For those who aren’t well-versed in the world of disgruntled communication from millennials, this is a clear sign that Samuel is unhappy with the organization and perhaps wants out of the Bay Area.