Deebo Samuel Sr.

80 yard td vs arizona was crazy. still a yac monster and they use him on carries too. niners are 3-0 and he's a big part of it.

Having Deebo back is going to feel familiar, even if he is not quite the wrecking ball from 2021 anymore. He caught 72 passes for 727 yards and five touchdowns in Washington last season, then added another score on the ground. The 10.1 yards per catch shows there were fewer huge plays, but he can still turn a short throw into a problem because defensive backs do not enjoy tackling him. Shanahan also already knows how to use him from the backfield and on motion without forcing him to win like a traditional outside receiver every snap. I have him at a seven: still dangerous and versatile, just not the same automatic game-breaker he was at his peak.

Strengths: Deebo is still unusually strong with the ball in his hands. He runs through arm tackles, has real running-back vision on designed carries and makes simple screens or slants more dangerous than they look. His ability to align in the backfield also forces defenses to declare coverage and personnel choices.

Weaknesses: The explosive receiving efficiency has cooled, and he does not consistently separate downfield against top corners. His physical style creates wear, while the offense has to be careful not to become predictable when he enters the backfield. He is most effective as a varied weapon, not a high-volume pure route winner.