While rookie wide receivers rarely make significant fantasy contributions right out the gate, it would be foolish to not look for potential early breakouts. One of the most impressive rookie wide receivers this offseason is Deebo Samuel. Samuel is a versatile receiver with twitchy instincts and an arsenal of skills that make him an ideal gadget player in a potentially high powered offense.
Capitalizing on the unforeseen struggles of Dante Pettis, Samuel continues to turn heads and is being used all over the field on offense. While not getting a ton of touches, Samuel is still averaging around 22 yards on four receptions and has recorded an impressive 45-yd end-around.
When asked about his role in the offense, Samuel radiates coachability, “I’m capable of anything. Anything that coach wants me to do, I’ll go do it and not ask why.” Samuel continued to say that his role is all over the field, and he isn’t expected to be used as just a flanker or a slot guy.
A popular comparison for Samuel’s skillset coming out of college were players like Percy Harvin and Tavon Austin. With Jimmy Garoppolo seemingly shaking off his early preseason rust and a plethora of horses in the backfield keeping opposing defenses honest, Samuel is primed to contribute to fantasy early and is an excellent penny stock to invest in.
Deebo is currently our WR51 (+13 vs ECR).
