Deebo Samuel Sr.
Deebo Samuel is the 49ers' No. 2 receiver behind Mike Evans when healthy, but a right hamstring strain will keep him out for at least a couple of weeks. Rotowire and ESPN's fantasy note project Weeks 6 and 7 missed and a possible return after the Week 8 bye. That timeline is their inference from Shanahan's comments, not a team-stated return date.
Role
When healthy he is the starting Z-receiver and is used as a hybrid, with some backfield work and kick returns. Rotowire reported he led the 49ers' skill players with 31 of 45 snaps and 21 routes on 26 dropbacks in Week 2. The Athletic's Matt Barrows wrote he will take only a portion of the Z snaps and is not close to an every-down player. For the Week 6 game against Washington, Rotowire lists Evans, Brandin Cooks, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins as the available receivers. Christian Kirk (calf) is not expected back from injured reserve for that game. Ricky Pearsall (knee, out for the season), De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) and Demarcus Robinson (ankle) are on injured reserve. Robinson cannot open his 21-day practice window until after the Washington game.
The receiver room is depleted. ESPN counts four of the top five wideouts the team hoped to have as injured, and Samuel was the locked-in WR2. Through four games he had 14 catches on 17 targets for 185 yards and three touchdowns, plus seven rushes for 74 yards and 231 kick-return yards. Optimists point to the rushing and return work as touches that do not depend on the passing game. If he returns after the Week 8 bye, there is little target competition behind Evans.
This is a significant strain. Shanahan said it got him "pretty good," and the 49ers ruled him out almost immediately, which Ian Rapoport called a poor sign. The 49ers have not given a return date, and ESPN says the absence is likely to run a bit longer than a couple of games. He is 30 and was used as a limited-snap, short-area player: PFF lists his average depth of target at 2.6 yards. He also went without a target in Week 3, so his volume has been uneven. Barrows' view that he is a part-time Z player caps his ceiling even once he is healthy.
Where analysts split
Broad agreement on the role: WR2 behind Evans with a limited snap share. The open question is timing. Rotowire and ESPN project a return after the Week 8 bye, while Shanahan only said at least a couple of weeks and ESPN says possibly longer. There is also no agreement on how much of the Z role he keeps once Kirk and Robinson return from injured reserve.
Injury: Out: assessed avoid
Hamstring injury, questionable, eyeing Week 9 return
Expected back after the Week 8 bye, but report notes he'd likely return to only a part-time role and isn't a strong fantasy play even when healthy given the crowded 49ers skill group.
What would change this: Practice participation report when team returns from bye and confirmation of his snap share in Week 9
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at WR
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Tuesday, and checks again before kickoff.
Connect your league: 14 days free