Deebo scores TD on 70 yards vs. Broncos

Shanahan confirming this will be a multi-week absence isn’t surprising, but we still aren’t clear on just how much time he could miss. We’ll likely get a more specific timeline in the days ahead, but it sounds like we can safely assume Samuel will miss Week 6’s game against the Commanders and Week 7’s game against the Falcons. Jacob Cowing and Brandin Cooks could both be in line to see more work in the weeks ahead, with Cooks perhaps being the favorite to get the first crack at replacing Samuel. Cooks’ 11 routes run in the second half of Sunday’s game led all 49ers, including Mike Evans, and he found the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the Niners ahead with just over 11 minutes left in regulation.

The MRI will help determine the severity of Samuel’s injury, but the 30-year-old receiver is likely looking at a multi-week absence after he was quickly ruled out of Sunday’s game. Samuel has caught 16 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns this season for the Niners while adding another 78 yards on nine carries. He seems unlikely to play in Week 6 against the Commanders, which means we could see an increased role for either Jacob Cowing or Brandin Cooks, who scored in Week 5’s win over the Seahawks.

That didn’t take long. Just moments after leaving the game, it was announced that Samuel had suffered a hamstring injury and would not return to the field. Shortly after being ruled out, Samuel was shown walking gingerly to the locker room with trainers. His day ends with a 2-21-0 line on three targets. Samuel also had two carries for four yards and a lost fumble, which came on the play he was injured on.

Samuel went down after being tripped up on a run play and remained down for an extended period of time after the play. It was hard to tell exactly what happened on the play, but Samuel was able to make his way to the sideline and could be seen sitting on the bench while being evaluated by trainers. We will provide an update on his status when we receive one.

Samuel’s box score will looks strange to most, but that’s what happens when Kyle Shanahan tries out a hook-and-ladder play in the first quarter. Mike Evans caught a pass from Brock Purdy, lateraling the ball to Samuel, who sprinted 80 yards downfield for the score. Despite Evans (rib) leaving the game early, Samuel technically finishes with zero targets, though he did carry the ball twice for 14 rushing yards. With his final stat-line, he sets the record for most receiving yards without a reception in NFL history. Samuel will benefit if Evans misses time and would be in the high-end WR3 range for Week 4 against the Broncos.

This was the expected outcome for Week 3. Reports on Robinson’s injury indicate this could be a multi-week issue. With WR1 Mike Evans (hip) questionable, WR Deebo Samuel and TE George Kittle could take on sizable workloads, though the team will likely still try to limit Kittle’s snap count.

Deebo also had one carry for four yards. He wasn’t needed much in this game, but Deebo played on 31 of the team’s 45 snaps and ran a route on 21 of Brock Purdy’s 26 dropbacks, both of which were the most on the team among the skill core. With Demarcus Robinson suffering a high ankle sprain, we expect Deebo to be even more involved in Week 3 against the Cardinals in what should be a closer game.

Stribling will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering a serious ankle injury in Week 1’s win over the Rams. It’s a disappointing start for the rookie, who can safely be dropped in most fantasy leagues. Deebo Samuel, who led the Niners in slot routes last week, could see an uptick in playing time and targets over the next month. Samuel had 48 yards on six receptions against the Rams. He should be rostered in 12-team PPR formats ahead of the Niners’ Week 2 game against the Dolphins.

Stribling suffered a deltoid sprain in his ankle. He is not expected to undergo surgery at this time, though Rapoport notes it is still a possibility. The fact that Rapoport noted that Stribling is “still seeking opinions” suggests surgery is very much on the table. With the rookie sidelined, Demarcus Robinson will slide into the three-receiver rotation. He scored a long touchdown versus the Rams in Week 1, though he profiles as a boom/bust WR6 going forward. Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel will see the majority of targets in most weeks.

In addition to those receptions, Samuel also added a rush for five yards and returned two kicks for 74 yards with a long of 45. The 30-year-old’s time with the Commanders was disappointing, but his return to San Francisco — at least in this first contest — was a successful one, even without much yardage. Samuel’s targets were likely helped by De’Zhaun Stribling leaving with an ankle injury, but the connection between Samuel and Purdy looked solid enough in the Australia opener. Samuel will be back in action in Week 2 in a matchup against the Dolphins.