Analysis

At first glance, Samuel's snap share (86 percent) and output (10 touches for 100 yards from scrimmage) from Week 2 weren't out of the ordinary, so the timing of the health concern makes sense. Assuming Samuel is sidelined for at least Sunday's road game against the Rams, Jauan Jennings will be the top option to step up alongside starting wideout Brandon Aiyuk, with Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell and Jacob Cowing the other healthy members at the position on the 49ers' active roster.

Analysis

Samuel presumably picked up the health concern during Sunday's loss to the Vikings, a contest in which he logged a typical snap share (86 percent) while recording eight catches (on 10 targets) for 110 yards and two carries for minus-2 yards. With Samuel in line to miss game action, Jauan Jennings likely will be the primary beneficiary next to starting WR Brandon Aiyuk, but Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell and Jacob Cowing are the other options at the position on the active roster.

Analysis

Samuel had a rare negative day as a rusher after a broken play on San Francisco's final offensive drive resulted in a loss of nine yards for the multifaceted receiver. He still finished with his first 100-yard receiving game of the 2024 campaign after scoring his first touchdown on the ground against the Jets in Week 1. Fellow star wideout Brandon Aiyuk (4/43/0) has been coming along slowly after sitting out the entire preseason dealing with a contract dispute, allowing Samuel to shine as the team's No. 1 receiving option. The former was rewarded with a four-year, $120 million contract extension following his modified holdout this past offseason, and Samuel will be looking for a similar payday this upcoming offseason with strong production out of the gates.

Analysis

Samuel produced a typical dual-threat performance with eight rushes and five receptions en route to 13.7 points in standard fantasy formats. With the absence of star running back Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) on Monday, both Samuel and backup running back Jordan Mason (28-147-1) picked up the slack in the backfield to propel San Francisco to its first victory of the 2024 season. Samuel remains a top fantasy option whether he lines up out wide or in the backfield as the 49ers prepare to face the Vikings on Sunday.

Analysis

Samuel did not have a rushing attempt in Friday's exhibition, seeing action over the team's first three drives before exiting with the rest of the starters. Fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk remained out of uniform due to continued contract negotiations that have dominated the offseason headlines in San Francisco. Samuel's role is unlikely to change even if Aiyuk gets moved, giving fantasy managers confidence in the former's productivity come Week 1.

Analysis

Samuel presumably can drop some pounds and still be by far the most powerful ballcarrier among NFL wide receivers. Assuming the weight loss was intentional, he's likely trying to improve his agility and route running, which could allow him to have more impact catching passes downfield. Samuel drew just 26 targets 10-plus yards downfield last season, compared to 46 during his 2021 breakout campaign (per PFF). He'll perhaps always be most dangerous as a runner and short-pass YAC threat, but efficiency on the deeper targets hasn't been a problem, so there's arguably still room for volume growth there. The issue, more so than Samuel's skill set, is that he's competing for touches in an offense that also WR Brandon Aiyuk, TE George Kittle and RB Christian McCaffrey. While Aiyuk may not be practicing amidst contract frustration/negotiations, it still seems more likely than not he'll be on the field for San Francisco come Week 1.

Analysis

The 49ers selected receivers in the first round (Ricky Pearsall) and fourth round (Jacob Cowing), and while they reportedly fielded trade offers for both Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, nothing ever came to fruition. The receiver group now appears likely to undergo significant changes next offseason, at which point Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings are scheduled for unrestricted free agency and Samuel will have just one year remaining on his contract (with no guaranteed money). A contract extension for Aiyuk in the coming weeks or months would further increase speculation about Samuel eventually being the odd man out.

Analysis

There's been a lot of trade chatter around Samuel's teammate, Brandon Aiyuk, but Giardi reports Samuel is "more likely to be traded" and has a couple interested suitors in Buffalo and New England. Both offenses are in dire need of wideout help, and the Bills (33rd overall) and Patriots (34th) hold picks atop the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night. Samuel has two years left on his contract but has been more prone to injuries throughout his career, missing six regular-season games and parts of several others across the last two seasons. Aiyuk, meanwhile, is coming off a career year and a second consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. The Niners used their first-round pick Thursday night on Florida WR Ricky Pearsall, further fueling trade chatter on the team's veteran wideouts.