49ers roster: Predicting Trey Lance’s 5 favorite targets in 2022

Trey Lance’s favorite target No. 1: 49ers WR Deebo Samuel

While Brandon Aiyuk might see the biggest leap in production because of Trey Lance taking over, that doesn’t remove the fact Deebo Samuel is still the 49ers’ largest offensive threat.

Samuel is poised to command a lucrative contract extension between now and the start of the regular season, and the Niners will unquestionably want to get their money’s worth by feeding the multifaceted offensive weapon as much as possible, as long as it doesn’t involve Samuel being used too frequently as a rusher, of course.

As such, it’s probably foolish to think the 2021 All-Pro comes close to the 1,770 all-purpose yards he had last season, 1,405 of which came through the air.

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Additionally, Samuel is no longer an under-the-radar player and has emerged as an NFL superstar, meaning opposing teams are going to draw up their defensive game plans around the idea of stopping or limiting him.

That’ll create plenty of other opportunities for San Francisco’s other receivers in 2022, which is great, but it will hinder Samuel’s own production.

To a point.

Samuel might see a statistical regression from 2021, but it’s not out of the question to see him boast 70 catches for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns en route to another Pro Bowl year.