Deebo Samuel

The San Francisco 49ers were the closest team to winning the Super Bowl aside from the champions themselves. Being able to run it back and contend for a title in 2020 will require a more explosive offensive output, especially on the biggest stage.

Last season, it quickly became apparent that Samuel possessed an impressive ability to make plays when given the ball in space. It’s a special trait to possess for a player that is also a talented route-runner, making it simple to see why he was productive as a rookie.

During his 15 regular-season appearances, Samuel was targeted 81 times resulting in 57 catches, 802 yards, and three touchdowns. Perhaps what makes that even more impressive is that his output occurred despite starting in just 11 of those games.

The 49ers lost an important veteran earlier in the offseason in Emmanuel Sanders and they didn’t actually end up replacing him. San Francisco will be relying on rookie Brandon Aiyuk to fill a prominent role in their offense from the start of his career, making Samuel taking a step forward crucial.