With the acquisition of star running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers, the San Francisco 49ers pulled off a major move. McCaffrey can impact the rushing and receiving games for the 49ers, which is a game-changer for their offence. Deebo Samuel will inevitably be impacted by McCaffrey’s presence, so let’s examine what this means for Samuel’s fantasy football prospects.
Alongside Samuel, McCaffrey will be incorporated into a strong attack. CMC has had 85 carries for 393 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. He has 33 receptions for 277 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. He is a seasoned, great running back who will bring another component to the 49ers’ offence.
In the offensive, Samuel has occasionally been utilised as a running back. He is a skilled weapon who rose to the top of the league last year.
Here is how the CMC move will affect Deebo Samuel’s fantasy value.
Deebo Samuel’s Fantasy Value After CMC Trade
Samuel hauled in 27 catches for 345 yards and two scores before the Christian McCaffrey deal, while also rushing for 136 yards and a score on 23 attempts. In Yahoo PPR leagues, Samuel is presently rated as the 11th-best wide receiver, which is a decline from last season, when he was the No. 3 receiver, just behind Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams.
The change from Trey Lance, who sustained an injury, to Jimmy Garoppolo reclaiming the starting position, has brought about that, though. McCaffrey’s inclusion to the offence is a significant improvement over the 49ers’ previous committee-based scheme.
As a result, Deebo Samuel is put in a difficult position for fantasy. Kyle Shanahan, the head coach, is an offensive genius who always finds a way to include his best players, but McCaffrey’s presence will probably reduce Samuel’s opportunities to play out of the backfield. Samuel will be utilised more in his natural receiver and jet motion positions. As Samuel was negotiating a new deal this offseason, his role as a back became a hot topic. He preferred to be a wide receiver, so switching to this position may be thrilling for him. Samuel can excel at receiver if McCaffrey takes the majority of the totes in the backfield.
McCaffrey and Samuel in the backfield might form a possible formation that could result in some explosive plays because it would be difficult for the defence to stop them. It is unknown how Shanahan will modify his system, though.
Overall, Samuel and the 49ers’ offence will be changed to account for McCaffrey. He will continue to receive touches, but as they work to incorporate everyone, it’s possible that his output will decline. McCaffrey will demand the defense’s focus, which might occasionally free up Samuel. Even then, it is not guaranteed because the offensive will still use Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle.
Deebo With Christian McCaffrey in the scheme, Samuel has a lower ceiling, making him a low-end WR1 in fantasy football. He won’t be the same player he was at the end of the previous season, but San Francisco’s offence hopes to advance and become a top Super Bowl contender, and he should still conclude the year as a top-15 wideout.
Deebo Samuel’s fantasy football outlook following the Christian McCaffrey deal with the 49ers first appeared on ClutchPoints.