After yet another season riddled with injuries, the San Francisco 49ers spent the offseason searching for answers as to why their franchise has been so disproportionately afflicted. That being said, the start to this season has been nothing short of catastrophic, and, on Wednesday, they had 20 players out of practice due to injury.
Newly signed Deebo Samuel, however, is not on that list. He has participated in every practice since the reunion became official, and his teammates are taking notice. The most recent was cornerback Upton Stout, who has made it a priority to shadow Deebo whenever possible.
"It’s just good work. Anytime I feel like I see the best receiver, I always want to go against the best because I want to be the best. So anytime I see Deebo run out there, I’m trying to run out there and get that work," Stout said in a presser after Wednesday's practice.
Upton Stout isn't exactly making the point he thinks he's making
It's clear that Stout's words are intended to praise the veteran wideout, but there's a caveat to the sentiment that he overlooked.
As of right now, Deebo is indeed the best wide receiver on the field - though it is hardly because of his own prolificacy. The reality is, as of right now, there is no competition.
Ricky Pearsall has already elected for season-ending surgery, Christian Kirk got hurt on the first day of camp, and Mike Evans and De'Zhaun Stribling have both dealt with soft-tissue injuries. Outside of Samuel and a few others, there is simply no one left.
Deebo Samuel may be in over his head with unexpected 49ers dilemma
The laundry list of injuries that have already plagued the 2026 Niners squad is concerning to say the least. Now, Samuel is in line to fulfill a duty that nobody saw coming: wide receiver one.
If Evans and Stribling can't get healthy before September, Deebo may be forced into his first alpha receiver role in five years. At age 30 and having accumulated just 1,397 air yards over the past two seasons, it's not exactly a position San Francisco had in mind for the receiver.
In labeling Samuel the best receiver on the field, Stout has inadvertently drawn attention to how bad the Niners' injury situation truly is. It's anybody's guess whether their luck improves, but, as of right now, players are dropping like flies. It'll be a miracle if Kyle Shanahan can field enough bodies to be ready for Week 1.
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