Deebo Samuel 2025 NFL Redraft Outlook: Worth the Risk as a WR2?

Deebo Samuel has all the makings of a fan favorite in Washington as he creates undeniable chemistry with QB Jayden Daniels in camp, with Terry McLaurin holding in for a new contract. But when it comes to your fantasy team? It’s time to step on the brakes and approach with cautious optimism.  

One thing fantasy football and real-life NFL fans know all too well is that stats don’t always tell the whole story. Samuel is a prime example of that tricky balancing act. He’s the guy who can turn an end-around into a 40-yard touchdown and leave defenders grabbing air. But does that raw talent translate to fantasy dominance this season?  

That’s where the debate starts swirling harder than a late-season Lambeau Field wind. NFL.com’s fantasy analyst, Marcas Grant, is pouring cold water on the Deebo hype heading into 2024. While the practice field sparks between Daniels and Samuel are drawing attention, Grant wants fantasy managers to pause before putting too much faith in him.  

Deebo Samuel 2024 Stats and Fantasy Production 

Here’s Grant’s view, and be ready to grit your teeth a little if you love Samuel’s electric style of play.  

“Smokescreen might not be the best term here,” says Grant, “but I’m skeptical about how much all this positive cha tter coming out of camp turns into usable fantasy numbers.”  

Grant isn’t knocking Samuel’s talent, far from it. Samuel is a real-life game-changer and has proven himself as a critical cog in any system he’s plugged into. But fantasy football is a different beast. Outside of Samuel’s breakout 2021 campaign, where he put up close to 2,000 total yards with 14 touchdowns, he’s been inconsistent for fantasy managers. Those jaw-dropping stat lines have been rare.  

Since breaking into the league, Samuel has logged six total seasons. Yet, he’s only surpassed 1,000 yards twice and hit double-digit touchdowns just once. Last season’s stats? A total of 806 yards and four scores. For a player who’s on highlight reels every other week, that’s a tough pill to swallow for fantasy zealots.   

But wait, before you cross Deebo off your draft board entirely, there’s another side to the story. Samuel has reportedly been lighting it up in 11-on-11 drills this offseason with Jayden Daniels at the helm. Without Terry McLaurin on the field, Samuel and Daniels have had to step into lar ger-than-expected roles early… and the reviews are glowing.  

Live practice updates indicate that Samuel looks aggressive, fast, and ready to carry the load. “They’re cooking out there,” is how one observer put it. Will that chemistry transfer to Sundays? It’s a fair question, but the glimpses we’ve seen make you want to lean forward on the edge of your bleacher seat.  

Grant himself admits that Kliff Kingsbury, a master of gutsy offensive schemes, could still unlock Samuel’s fantasy potential. “If Kliff can figure it out, maybe Samuel rewrites the narrative,” he says.  

Deebo Samuel 2025 Fantasy Outlook