The Athletic's Matt Barrow writes that 49ers WR Deebo Samuel is "not going to be close to an every-down player" this season. Barrows adds that Samuel is expected to "take over a portion" of Ricky Pearsall's 'Z' role and also get some snaps in the backfield.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Playing Time Will Drive Value
It's no surprise the 49ers don't envision 30-year-old Samuel as a full-time player. How far his snaps fall will determine whether he's a viable fantasy starter.
Samuel played 80% of San Francisco's offensive snaps in his huge 2021 season and hovered between 73% and 76% the following three years. He was at 72% in Washington last year.
If Samuel can maintain a snap rate around 70% this year, he could return WR3 value. If he slips closer to 60% or lower, he'd be tough to trust in fantasy lineups.
Other Winners & Losers: Another Reason To Draft Stribling
Samuel's limited snap outlook can only help WR De'Zhaun Stribling. The rookie had another strong outing in the 49ers' second preseason game and continues to climb our WR rankings.
