Deebo Samuel gains role with 49ers after injury wave

Deebo Samuel has taken on a central role with the San Francisco 49ers after a string of injuries cleared the team's receiver options. Signed without a guaranteed starting spot at the start of free agency, the player has become indispensable to head coach Kyle Shanahan ahead of the third‑week matchup against Arizona.

Kyle Shanahan's original plan

In a conversation with Matt Maiocco on the NBC Sports Bay Area show 49ers Game Plan, Shanahan explained that initially he did not think the team would have the chance to sign Samuel. At that time the roster featured options such as Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, De'Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins.

Shanahan said he was upfront about the uncertainty of roles on the squad. He told the player he could not promise a specific position because of the surplus of receivers, but assured him he would see the field and could be used as a kick returner, punt returner, runner or receiver. Samuel accepted the offer after comparing the opportunity with those from other teams.

The string of injuries in the unit

The roster situation changed due to successive physical problems. Ricky Pearsall's season ended before the games began, while De'Zhaun Stribling was injured in week one and is expected to miss about ten weeks.

In week two, Demarcus Robinson suffered an ankle sprain and will be out three to six weeks. With Brandon Aiyuk sidelined and other players on the reserve list, the healthy receiver list was limited to Samuel, KhaDarel Hodge and Mike Evans, who did not practice on Wednesday because of a hip discomfort.

Samuel's volume this season

Samuel has been targeted 11 times this season, accounting for 20% of the team's passing volume. He has recorded nine receptions for 79 yards, 16 rushing yards, one touchdown and two drops, posting a catch rate of 81.8%.

The player also shares, with George Kittle, the team lead in receptions inside the opponent's 20‑yard line, with three catches. The offensive production comes under quarterback Brock Purdy, who boasts a 125.6 passer rating without being sacked behind the line of scrimmage, and also shares plays with Christian McCaffrey, who leads the team in receptions with a 21.8% share.

The matchup against Arizona's defense

In the third‑week showdown, Samuel will face Arizona's defense, a unit that has allowed four touchdowns to opposing receivers in the first two games. The opponent yields an average of 164.5 passing yards and 53 yards after the catch per game.

With 13.2% of the team's passing yards, Samuel is often used near the line of scrimmage. If Evans sits out because of his hip issue, the concentration of passes to Samuel is likely to rise even further during the game.

With information from NBC Sports Bay Area & California, DraftKings Network.