49ers WR Deebo Samuel off to an insanely hot start

Deebo Samuel has gotten off to a rocket-like start in 2021, and the 49ers are 2-0 largely because of Samuel’s offensive efforts this season.

The San Francisco 49ers have a number of concerns about their roster despite starting the year off with a perfect 2-0 record following road wins over the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.

One player they shouldn’t be worried about, though, is third-year wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

It’s not hyperbole to suggest Samuel has carried the Niners pass offense this season. Following a 189-yard, one-touchdown outing in Week 1, Samuel again was a favorite target for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 2, leading all San Francisco pass-catchers with six receptions for 93 yards.

In a game where the 49ers struggled to get things going on that offensive side of the ball, Samuel’s performance against Philadelphia is worth pointing out.

Especially considering the next-leading Niners receiver was running back JaMycal Hasty with four catches for just 21 yards.

Deebo Samuel putting up insane yards for 49ers

Over two weeks, Samuel has recorded 15 catches for a whopping 282 yards. Extrapolated over a full 17-game season, that would equate to 2,397 yards by the season is over.

Surely, Samuel won’t reach that mark and will go through stretches where he’s colder.

If anything, though, it reveals just how impressive Samuel has been so far this season. And against a questionable Green Bay Packers defense in Week 3, there’s little reason to suspect Samuel’s impact will lessen in the immediate future.

A year ago, when Samuel was dealing with both foot and hamstring injuries, the former second-round NFL Draft pick managed just 391 total receiving yards over seven games played.

He’s now in a position to eclipse last year’s mark with yet another impressive outing in Week 3.

49ers still need production from other wide receivers

Fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, the player many felt would have a breakout campaign after impressing in 2020, hasn’t had a Samuel-like start to the season.

Aiyuk wasn’t targeted in Week 1 and then caught just one pass for 6 yards against the Eagles. While there are some concerns Aiyuk is in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse, one should at least acknowledge Philadelphia’s overall defensive effort against San Francisco was competent enough.

Read More: 49ers fans must relax about Brandon Aiyuk’s slow start

After all, Samuel, Hasty and tight end George Kittle were the only players to record four-plus catches in Week 2.

At some point, though, Aiyuk will need to step up. Especially with Samuel always being an injury risk and the lack of receiving thump from elsewhere on the roster.

Regardless, it’s been a promising development to watch Samuel provide so much of the 49ers offense two weeks into the season.