There is no shortage of star power on the San Francisco 49ers roster. It's a team that features playmakers at nearly every position. On offense, you have wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. There's tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey too.
There is no doubt that rookie quarterback Brock Purdy was the team's offensive breakout star in 2022. But what about next season? Who is the under-the-radar player who could surprise some people in 2023?
"I'm really looking forward to seeing [RB] Ty Davis-Price," Samuel told Matthew Berry and Jay Croucher on NBC's Fantasy Football Happy Hour, "how he approaches the offseason, how he's going to approach this coming year with not having much time on the field this year."
San Francisco made Davis-Price a third-round draft pick out of LSU last year. He carried the football only 34 times for 99 rushing yards through his limited playing time in six game appearances. The 49ers expected to use the rookie running back more this season, but an injury changed things.
"There was a great chance after Week 2 in the Seattle game that he was going to start or at least finish the game with the bulk of the carries versus Denver, and he got a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 in the second quarter," head coach Kyle Shanahan said in December.
Davis-Price was inactive for the next three games, returning in Week 6.
"When Ty came back is when Elijah [Mitchell] was healthy, and he wasn't getting those over Elijah," Shanahan continued. "Then we had Christian [McCaffrey] and Elijah. J.P. [Mason] had already made his role as the third guy for special teams, and that wasn't going to change. Then when Elijah got hurt, Ty got an opportunity to get up, but he was behind J.P. at that moment, so he missed his opportunity because of the injury."
Samuel is excited to see if Davis-Price gets another opportunity to prove himself in 2023.
"I mean, the team has high expectations for him," Samuel said. "We drafted him in the third round, so I'm just ready to see how he comes back from this year."
Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Deebo Samuel reveals the under-the-radar 49ers player who could break out in 2023
Feb 10, 2023 at 2:09 PM
• --
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy are why the 49ers can afford to pay Brandon Aiyuk
By David Bonilla
Apr 10
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
Mike Silver on how Deebo Samuel's contract might be the starting point for a Brandon Aiyuk extension
By Al Sacco
Apr 16
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, it's common for the rumor mill to start churning, especially with players who are actively seeking a new contract. It was just two short years ago that WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers prior to draft day, only for cooler heads to prevail and eventually agree to a new deal.
Now, it's WR Brandon Aiyuk's turn to try and get paid and rumors surfaced over the weekend that he too would request to be dealt. While that report was quickly shot down by his agent, there's still a lot of discussion about Aiyuk's future and if other teams will come calling on draft night.
Legendary columnist Mike Silver joined
Insiders identify late risers who 49ers could target in NFL Draft
By David Bonilla
5 hrs
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, ESPN contributors have highlighted some prospects who have seen their draft stock rise throughout the evaluation process. Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pinpointed players who could hear their names called at the end of the first round.
Interestingly, both of the prospects identified by Reid and Miller play in the trenches but on different sides of the ball. The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to draft an offensive lineman with their first selection—No. 31 overall. The team mostly ignored the group in free agency. However, it wouldn't surprise many people if the
Could the 49ers trade up in the draft for a top tackle?
By David Bonilla
Apr 11
The San Francisco 49ers are likely hoping that a top offensive lineman drops to them at No. 31 in the first round of this month's draft. Fans would like to see the team add someone to compete with Colton McKivitz for the right tackle spot and potentially take over for Trent Williams when the future Hall of Famer decides to retire.
Having two studs bookending the offensive line would go a long way in protecting franchise quarterback Brock Purdy. While tackle may be the first-round target, depending on how the first 30 selections play out, San Francisco might have to trade up to get a genuinely impactful