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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. has been a mainstay of fantasy football rosters since his massive breakout season in 2021 when he finished as the WR2 overall in full-PPR scoring. Samuel is an elite all-around playmaker and one of the most versatile receivers in the NFL.
Samuel started off nicely in 2024, scoring 18+ PPR fantasy points in both his first two games. Samuel looked to be right on track before he, unfortunately, suffered a calf strain late in his Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Samuel wasn't able to play in Week 3.
Will Deebo Samuel play today, or will he miss the game with an injury? Let's break it down.
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Deebo Samuel Fantasy Football Injury Update
Despite being just two weeks out from a calf strain injury, an ailment that can create nagging problems for NFL players (Christian McCaffrey owners know by now), Samuel is expected to play when the 49ers take on the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon in Week 4.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a calf injury, is expected to play vs. the Patriots, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 29, 2024
The extent of Samuel's injury isn't fully known, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has a somewhat questionable history when it comes to managing star players' injuries. The McCaffrey situation was remarkable in that everything was sunshine and roses, and he played in Week 1 with a full workload.
That didn't happen, and McCaffrey suddenly worsened his injury just after RB Jordan Mason emerged. It was odd to see McCaffrey be put on IR after the organization and he himself indicated that he'd play in Week 1 with no issues. The 49ers seem to either not know how to manage injuries or weren't disclosing information.
As we saw with McCaffrey's injury, calf strains can often be associated with Achilles tendon problems, so it's important to keep an eye on Samuel's status. Samuel has missed plenty of games in recent years due to injury, though, so it comes as part of drafting him.
Deebo Samuel Fantasy Football Injury Impact
The injury could be either nothing to worry about a nightmare for fantasy football managers who have Deebo on their rosters, or something in between. There's really not much way of knowing. Coach Shanahan is known to use players as decoys for entire games, much to the chagrin of fantasy managers of 49ers players.
Samuel had one such game in Week 4 of 2023, so managers who drafted him last year know what that's like. With a player of his caliber, though, there's just no way you can bench him. To do so would be incredibly bold. He has one of the most valuable overall roles for a receiver in the league.
DEEBO SAMUEL AGAIN WOW!!!
50 YARD TOUCHDOWNpic.twitter.com/VLrerGu5H0
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) December 3, 2023
Samuel is one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL, and benching him just to miss out on one of his boom games would be incredibly costly. He's a must-start if he's active, no matter what injuries he's playing through.
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