49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel entered the 2021 season needing to make a jump. He battled injuries in 2020 and was used primarily as a gadget player at or near the line of scrimmage. He’s off to a scorching hot start in 2021 and has passed any remaining tests with flying colors.
Samuel opened the season with a nine-catch, 189-yard performance in Detroit. He followed that with a six-catch, 93-yard outing in Philadelphia. His 282 receiving yards through two weeks are the third most ever for by a 49ers player.
Only Jerry Rice with 285 receiving yards to open the 1989 season, and Bernie Casey with 288 receiving yards the first two weeks of 1964 had more. Neither player had as many receptions as Samuel though, who has 15 through two weeks – tied with Dwight Clark for the fourth most ever by a 49ers receiver in that time frame.
The 49ers needed Samuel to have a big year, and that was before Brandon Aiyuk opened the year as a relative non-factor on offense. Tight end George Kittle has mostly been muted as well, leaving Samuel to account for 56 percent of the 49ers’ receiving yards through two games.
If Samuel keeps up this pace, he could not only be the 49ers’ No. 1 receiver, but he’ll finish the year as one of the best receivers in football.
