San Francisco 49ers: 5 biggest injury risks in 2021
By Peter Panacy
49ers Injury Risk No. 2: Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel
When the Niners selected wide receiver Deebo Samuel in Round 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft, they knew they were taking a chance on the talented pass-catcher’s injury history at South Carolina. After all, Samuel had suffered multiple hamstring injuries and a leg fracture during his collegiate years, yet his rookie season seemed to indicate he’d be fully capable of playing at a high level within the NFL.
Except for an offseason Jones fracture in his foot before 2020 that cut into his regular season, which in turn led to yet another hamstring injury suffered against the Patriots in Week 7 last year.
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The latter injury forced Samuel onto injured reserve where he’d miss the next three weeks, and then another hamstring injury also resulted in him missing the final three games of the season, putting him at a frustratingly low seven games played.
Heading into 2021, Sports Injury Predictor suggests Samuel has an 82-percent chance of suffering another injury this season, while the predicted amount of games lost for him is 2.6.
Considering San Francisco currently lacks depth at the position outside of Samuel and fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk, ensuring the former stays on the field as much as possible should be a top priority for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co.
Particularly if the 49ers want to avoid the injury trend Samuel set back at South Carolina.