The 49ers Added the NFL's Most Underrated Player...

The 49ers Added the NFL’s Most Underrated Player in Deebo Samuel

For a one-year, $4.1 million flier, Deebo Samuel has given the 49ers exactly the kind of jolt they were hoping for when they brought him home. San Francisco needed bodies at receiver in camp, dealing with injuries to Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk, and Samuel has stepped in and made nearly every touch matter. Through four games, he has caught 14 of 17 targets for 185 yards and three touchdowns, added seven rushes for 74 yards, and racked up 231 yards as a kick returner.

The volume isn’t eye-popping, but that’s the point: he’s been efficient, versatile, and a constant red-zone threat, finding the end zone in three of the four games. Few veterans on a minimum-adjacent deal are contributing as a receiver, runner, and return man all at once.

He’s also brought back the highlight-reel element the offense missed. Against Arizona, he took a lateral from Mike Evans 80 yards to the house on the opening drive of a 36-30 win, and against Denver he showed his trademark contact balance with a 22-yard run where he broke multiple tackles before snagging a one-yard touchdown in a 24-14 victory.

The fumbles are the one blemish, and they’re worth tightening up, but the bigger picture is a player who fits Kyle Shanahan’s system like a glove and is producing far above his price tag. If the 49ers keep leaning into his skills as a ball carrier, this reunion could go down as one of the best value signings of the offseason.