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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel took the NFL by storm last season, racking up 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards, and 14 total touchdowns. He was truly a dual-threat star, emerging as one of the league's most versatile players. Samuel was a league-winner in fantasy football last season and is surely looking to replicate his big year as the 2022 campaign gets underway.
Before we pencil in Samuel as a must-start fantasy stud, it is important that we check on his availability for Week 1.
Is Samuel injured? Will he play in Week 1? What is his fantasy football outlook for this coming week?
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Will Deebo Samuel Play In Week 1?
Samuel was dealing with a bone bruise in his knee as the calendar turned from August to September, prompting some concern about his availability for this Week 1 contest. However, Samuel practiced in full this past week as he avoided the injury report. Samuel had no injury designation heading into the weekend, so he's good to go for Week 1.
What Is Samuel's Fantasy Football Outlook?
Samuel was the WR3 in fantasy football last season, but he saw his stock drop slightly as fantasy drafts ramped up. There was some concern about Samuel logging fewer rushing attempts in 2022. Additionally, Brandon Aiyuk's emergence and Trey Lance securing the starting quarterback job threatened Samuel's value. Still, the 26-year-old was widely viewed as a mid-to-low WR1 option for 2022.
On paper, Samuel has a favorable matchup against the Bears on tap. This woeful Chicago team surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers last season, a mark that includes Samuel's whopping six catches for 171 yards during Week 8 against the Bears last season.
Although Samuel's matchup is favorable, the weather is not. Chicago has received roughly two inches of rain this morning and is expected to see that number double throughout the afternoon. The city is under a flash flood warning, and the surface at Soldier Field is loaded with puddles. These conditions could make it tricky for the passing game to get going, especially with someone as inexperienced as Lance at quarterback. As a result, the 49ers could go run-heavy, which detracts from Samuel's value (even though he could carry the ball several times).
Ultimately, fantasy managers should start Samuel. After all, you start your studs in Week 1. However, managers might want to pad the rest of their lineup with upside players who could soften the blow of a dud game from Samuel, if such an outcome were to occur.
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