3 years agoSan Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel had a superb season in 2021, breaking out into a star on offense. With 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns, Samuel finished as the WR2 in standard formats and as the WR3 in PPR. However, the young weapon's outlook for 2022 is a bit murkier than this production would indicate. Samuel demanded a new contract extension from San Francisco this offseason, and he has reportedly requested a trade as well. For what it's worth, the 49ers have denied that they are willing to trade their star. Still, the uncertainty lingering around the situation should give fantasy managers some pause. Moreover, the fact that San Francisco is likely to start unproven second-year player Trey Lance at quarterback adds further questions to Samuel's prospects. If Lance struggles Samuel could have his production capped overall. Samuel is currently going as the WR6 in fantasy drafts since the start of May, which seems quite fair. With the questions surrounding both him and the San Francisco offense, fantasy managers should not consider him alongside Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson when constructing the top tier of wideouts for 2022. However, Samuel's great upside certainly still exists, especially if Lance proves himself to be a more potent passer than last year's starter Jimmy Garoppolo. This fact keeps Samuel firmly in the top-10 projected receivers for the upcoming season.--Hayden Epinette - RotoBaller