Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus recently looked at NFL receivers primed for bigger roles in 2021. Third-year San Francisco 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel was among the nine names mentioned.
Samuel had an impressive rookie campaign in 2019, hauling in 57 passes for 802 yards and three touchdowns while adding 14 carries for 159 rushing yards and three more scores. Obviously, expectations were high for the versatile young receiver heading into his sophomore campaign.
As was the case for much of the 49ers roster, injury struck Samuel in 2020. He suffered a Jones fracture during the offseason and dealt with hamstring problems during the regular season. Samuel appeared in just seven games, recording 33 receptions for 391 yards and a single score.
"Injuries have robbed fans of seeing what a fully-fledged Samuel is really capable of within the 49ers offense," wrote Monson, "but the addition of Brandon Aiyuk last offseason will only help, as will George Kittle's return to fitness."
While Aiyuk had an impressive rookie campaign himself in 2020, catching 60 passes for 748 yards with five touchdowns, Kittle also missed time due to injury. Still, the All-Pro tight end managed to record 48 catches for 634 yards with two touchdowns in his eight game appearances.
"Samuel was only targeted 44 times last year, but he turned those looks into a PFF receiving grade of 81.1, the best among 49ers wide receivers," Monson continued. "He was the only one of those receivers to average more than 2.00 yards per route run, and he was a full half-yard per route clear of the next-closest player.
"Of course, Samuel also takes designed carries and poses a serious rushing threat on top of the work he can do as a receiver. In total, he broke 11 tackles on 41 touches across the healthy snaps he was able to play, but that represented just 305 snaps of offense. There is no reason why a healthy Samuel won't come out of this season with at least twice that volume of playing time, and that means fireworks both for him and the 49ers offense."