Ricky Pearsall sounds like he’ll be out for the year with a PCL injury. Christian Kirk is already hurt too, putting the 49ers well ahead of schedule on their annual tradition of having injuries decimate their entire skill-position group. San Francisco wasted little time reuniting with old friend Deebo Samuel, who agreed to a one-year deal on Thursday night to return to the Bay Area after one year in Washington. Let’s break this move down from a fantasy standpoint.
DEEBO SAMUEL
- Deebo had 99 targets last season, his highest total since 2021. His on/off splits with Terry McLaurin were stark; he earned 0.18 targets per route run with McLaurin on the field and 0.29 with him off. McLaurin missed seven games last year, allowing Samuel to emerge as the go-to guy in a thin pass-catching corps that was featuring Treylon Burks in a sizable role by the end of the season. Still, earning volume is a skill, even in a depleted Washington WR room, and Samuel’s 23.0% seasonal target share demonstrates he still had that ability the last time we saw him.
- Samuel is now 30 years old with an injury history and plenty of workload mileage, and his 7.3 yards per target in 2025 was the second-lowest mark of his career. His YAC per reception also dropped, bottoming out at a career-low 6.5. His YAC/reception has been progressively falling over the past half-decade: 10.0 in 2020, 8.8 in 2022 and 2023, 8.3 in 2024, and 6.5 last year. Samuel’s YAC Over Expected (via Next Gen Stats) was still very good, but his production in his prime was dependent on truly historic YAC numbers. Some of this decline is the change in scenery: Kyle Shanahan is arguably the best play-caller in football, and going from a Shanahan scheme to a Marcus Mariota-led offense will understandably kill efficiency. Still, the decreased efficiency is worth noting considering his age.
- Deebo’s 17 carries last year were his lowest total since 2020. He’s still going to get carries here and there, but given his age, it makes sense that the rushing volume drops significantly compared to his 2021-24 numbers.
- Samuel should assume a starting role immediately and has a clear path to volume. He’s probably not the same player he once was. However, he still showed the ability to earn targets at a fantasy-relevant level last season, and some of his efficiency decline was certainly due to poor quarterback play and a downgrade in play-caller. Now back in San Fran, we’ll find out how much Samuel has left in the tank at age 30.
OTHER 49ERS PASS CATCHERS
- Mike Evans was still a dominant target-earning force in 2025, commanding a whopping 0.29 targets per route run. However, his yards per target dropped to 5.9, and he struggled with injuries, battling a hamstring ailment, a concussion, and a clavicle injury. The injuries have stacked up in recent seasons for the soon-to-be 33-year-old Evans, but he’s had 11+ touchdowns in four of the past six seasons and now lands in one of the most efficient offensive environments in the league. Evans is the clear WR1 here and should find the end zone plenty when healthy, but health is an important caveat here.
- De’Zhaun Stribling has reportedly had an awesome start to camp, a welcome sign for 49ers fans after San Francisco was ridiculed for taking him with the No. 33 overall pick. Stribling’s college production profile was lackluster, and his target-earning ability dropped off on a playoff-bound Ole Miss roster in his fifth college season last year. But he’s 6-foot-2, 207 pounds with 4.36 wheels, and an open runway to playing time. Evans and Samuel are more established at the NFL level, and Stribling’s college profile raises questions of how good he can actually be. Still, if the talent is there, it’s a monster opportunity for the second-round rookie. We’ve already seen some of the contingent upside materialize with the Pearsall and Kirk injuries, but the target competition for Stribling could become minimal at some point if any of the remaining aging vets here (Evans, Samuel, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey) run into injury trouble.
- Kittle is still recovering from last year’s torn Achilles. He’s reportedly looking good for the start of the season, though the 49ers’ first game being in Australia could complicate that. Regardless of whether he plays in Week 1, we shouldn’t have to wait long to see Kittle’s 2026 debut. Kittle had a strong 19.3% target share last year; his yards per target actually dropped slightly but was still 8.9, a testament to how efficient he’s been throughout his career. The questions with Kittle are purely related to injury and age (he turns 33 in October). The same is true of McCaffrey, who led all running backs with 129 targets while staying healthy for all 17 games in 2025. CMC’s 22.6% target share led the 49ers last year. He’s a top-flight RB1 if he can stay healthy, but as is the case with everyone on this team, availability isn’t a given.
