Niner Noise
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5 players who’ll thrive in 49ers trip through 2020 NFL playoffs

By Josh Altorfer

Raheem Mostert #31 and Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Raheem Mostert #31 and Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Deebo Samuel #19  (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Wide receiver Deebo Samuel

With the running game and George Kittle gaining most of the attention from opposing defenses, the opportunity for a wide receiver to have a major impact is wide open.

I fully expect this to be rookie Deebo Samuel.

Samuel has seemingly gotten better and made bigger catches every game throughout his first year in the league. He has gained the full trust of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and coach Kyle Shanahan.

Whenever a team in any sport makes a championship run, there is usually an unlikely hero who makes a game-defying play or plays. This is because the game plan for most teams is to focus on stopping the other team’s best players.

Playoff teams usually have the talent to match up and neutralize against the other team’s top weapons. This puts the pressure on secondary players to step up more than they are used to having to do in the regular season.

Players like former New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes and then-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles are prime examples of role players who stepped up when they needed to in order to help their team win the Super Bowl.

Samuel could be put in a similar position at some point in the 2020 playoffs.