Niners WR Brandon Aiyuk caught 8 balls for 83 yards and 2 TDs among 11 targets in Sunday's loss to the Falcons. Those were the only 2 TDs San Francisco scored. The 49ers won't normally attempt 41 passes, a number that QB Jimmy Garoppolo reached just once last season. But Aiyuk's 26.8% target share led the team. TE George Kittle and WR Deebo Samuel each drew 10 targets. Kittle posted an 8-83 receiving line; Samuel 7-79.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel mustered only 2 catches for 20 yards in Week 5. He added a score, but the story here was strong coverage from CB Jaycee Horn, who eventually departed in the 3rd quarter with a hip injury. Samuel handled only 2 carries (for 12 yards) and witnessed a sharp decline in his backfield snaps. Starting in Week 1, his RB snaps have gone: 9, 11, 8, 8, 1. Samuel will look for more in a positive Week 6 matchup at Atlanta.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel tallied 6 catches for 115 yards and 1 score in Week 4. He was nearly shutout on the ground (2 carries, 2 yards) but made his night with a 57-yard TD where he broke several tackles. Going back to 2021, Samuel’s now scored 5 TDs of 40+ yards. Next up is a road matchup with Carolina.
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk saw 8 targets in a Week 3 loss to Denver. That tied Deebo Samuel for the team lead. From 3 yards out, Aiyuk caught Jimmy Garoppolo’s only TD pass on a well-designed play where Deebo walled off the nearest defender. While George Kittle’s return adds volatility, Aiyuk remains an ascending talent with a high weekly ceiling. Don’t be surprised if he’s in the WR3 mix for Sunday’s divisional tilt with the Rams.
49ers RB Jeff Wilson led the 49ers’ backfield in Week 3, rushing 12 times for 75 yards. He gashed the Broncos for an explosive 37-yard run but averaged 3.4 yards on his 11 other attempts. Deebo Samuel mixed in with 5 carries for 6 yards; Jordan Mason saw only 1 attempt. In total, Wilson handled 73% of the backfield snaps with Elijah Mitchell and Ty Davis-Price sidelined. Wilson did fumble after catching his 3rd pass of the night on San Francisco’s final drive, but we don’t see it changing his role going forward. Next up is a home date with the Rams.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports 49ers QB Trey Lance suffered a "significant" right ankle injury in the Week 2 win over the Seahawks. Lance is expected to need surgery that will "likely" end his season. You can hang on to him on fantasy rosters until we get official confirmation that Lance's season is over, which figures to come tomorrow. San Francisco will turn back to QB Jimmy Garoppolo, which will mean a significant shift in the offense. The 49ers' pass rate will climb, and there will be more carries to go around since Garoppolo won't be taking many.
49ers TE George Kittle (groin) remained sidelined on Thursday. He's looking like a long shot to play vs. the Seahawks this weekend. That's bad news for QB Trey Lance but good news for Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk's volume.
Niners WR Deebo Samuel fulfilled the Deebo Samuel role in Sunday's opening loss to the Bears. He drew a team-high 8 targets but caught just 2 for 14 yards in rain-drenched conditions. Samuel added 52 yards and a TD on 8 carries, trailing only QB Trey Lance among 49ers in rushing yards. We certainly can't count on rushing scores every week for Samuel, but the target count to go with the rushing work is encouraging. That's what lacked in the 2nd half of last year, when he was getting more handoffs than passing looks. Brandon Aiyuk drew just 2 target against the Bears, catching both for 40 yards. WR Jauan Jennings posted team highs of 4 receptions and 62 yards on 6 targets.
Chicago has been hit with heavy rains this morning. It looks like the worst of it will be gone by kickoff of 49ers-Bears, but there will be lingering showers -- and a wet field. The forecast also calls for 15-20 mph winds. Less than ideal scoring conditions, although this looked like a low-scoring game anyways. Expect lots of running from both teams.
49ers TE George Kittle (groin) is officially inactive for today’s opener vs. the Bears. He suffered what’s been reported as a Grade 2 groin strain on Monday and didn’t practice the rest of the week. We’ll see if Kittle can make it back for Week 2. His absence is a significant loss for QB Trey Lance but frees up targets for WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
49ers TE George Kittle (groin) is "not likely" to play vs. the Bears today, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Kittle didn't practice after injuring his groin on Monday. "Pushing it early doesn't make sense," Rapoport tweets. We'll see if Kittle can make it back for Week 2. His absence is a significant loss for QB Trey Lance but frees up targets for WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
Pro Football Network's Aaron Wilson hears that 49ers TE George Kittle's groin injury is "serious enough" that he's "unlikely" to play against the Bears this weekend. A source tells Wilson that Kittle is dealing with a Grade 2 strain and that "it would be optimal for him to rest and rehab for a week or two." It certainly makes sense for the 49ers to hold Kittle out of a game vs. Chicago that they can likely win without him. We've removed Kittle from the Week 1 Rankings for now and will continue to keep you updated on his status. Kittle's absence would be good news for the targets outlooks of WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel is sidelined for Sunday's practice with a "contusion behind his knee," according to insider Matt Maiocco. "He probably won’t practice this week, but should be good to go for preparations to face the Bears in Week 1," Maiocco adds. We'll keep an eye on Samuel but aren't adjusting his spot in the WR Rankings.
After 49ers WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade this offseason, word spread that he wasn't happy with the way the team used him in the 2nd half of last season. That's when Samuel saw a near-even split between receiving (87 catches) and rushing (86 carries). "That's false," he told reporters Tuesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Samuel apparently didn't elaborate. That doesn't seem to put us any closer to knowing how his touches will break down in 2022 and beyond -- especially after learning that his extension includes annual $650,000 incentives for reaching 380 rushing yards. What we do know is that there's a lot about his 2021 season that Samuel will have a hard time repeating.
The 49ers and WR Deebo Samuel have agreed to a 3-year extension. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that it's a $71.55 million deal, with a max value of $73.5 million and $58.1 million in guarantees. The length of the contract means Samuel will hit another contract year at age 29. This should return the star WR to full practice, after a tumultuous offseason.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel reported for the start of training camp on Tuesday. He reportedly requested a trade earlier this offseason, but the team has said all along that it has no plans on moving him. "We've had productive and substantive talks [about a new contract]," GM John Lynch said. "Don't want to get people excited that we're imminent because we're not there yet. .... Deebo's here today and we're excited to move forward with him on this team. We're focused on getting something done." Until we get a new contract or trade, there's still some added risk on Samuel's fantasy outlook. But it seems to be a good bet that he'll play for the 49ers this year.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that 49ers WR Deebo Samuel has not rescinded his trade request. The team has indicated it has no plans to move Samuel, and he attended the team's mandatory minicamp in early June. But this at least serves as a reminder that some tension remains. We'll see whether that forces a move.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel is expected to report for minicamp on Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Samuel reportedly requested a trade earlier this offseason, unhappy with his RB usage last year. But it looks like the 2 sides have ironed things out at least for now. We'll continue to monitor the situation, but Samuel seems likely to be on the field for the 49ers come Week 1.
Speaking at an event on Wednesday night, 49ers GM John Lynch confirmed that WR Deebo Samuel will remain on the team. “We haven't traded him, and I'd be a fool to trade him. So yes, Deebo will be part of the 49ers this season,” Lynch said. Now we’ll see if Samuel, 26, accepts a high-dollar extension from the 49ers this summer.
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