Deebo Samuel's Return to 49ers Is Even More Justified After Week 1 Injuries

Key note.

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) at press conference after the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game against the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's almost Week 2, and the San Francisco 49ers have already lost two key offensive weapons to injury.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed tight end Jake Tonges is out for the year, while rookie wide reciever De'Zhaun Stribling is out for roughly 10 weeks.

So, Stribling's stock has taken a massive hit after impressing throughout training camp and the preseason, while Tonges' zero involvement ruined the momentum he had built as a capable pass catcher from last season.

It's a big setback all the same, but in light of these injuries, the 49ers' front office decision to acquire Deebo Samuel in free agency feels even more justified.

His return came later than was probably expected, but the need for another offensive weapon became even greater following Ricky Pearsall's season-ending surgery.

Samuel's contract is extremely favorable against the cap, and the idea of him stepping in as a replacement for all three injured players, at least for now, makes logical sense.

It's tough to really say what to expect from him this season, but even as a critic of the move to bring him back, Samuel has done everything to prove me wrong, and that's only encouraging.

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, AUS; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) signs autographs for fans after the game at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He likely wasn't going to have a large role initially, but that will probably change now. In times like this, though, it is better to have a player who is already so familiar with the setup and Shanahan's system.

It is not the worst situation in the world, either, with the 49ers still having Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, George Kittle, Mike Evans and others around him, but Samuel suddenly looks like a much more important piece of the offense.

Losing Stribling for an extended period is a major setback, particularly given the valuable game experience he needs as a rookie to continue developing. Tonges, meanwhile, was extremely reliable, even if he didn't face much coverage and was arguably underused last season.

The 49ers didn't bring him back expecting him to effectively replace three different players, but circumstances have suddenly made his versatile skill set far more important than it initially appeared.

If the 49ers get the 2022 and 2023 version of Samuel, that would be an achievement in itself, but nobody should expect a repeat of 2021.

That season was an anomaly and arguably one of the best seasons by a wide receiver in San Francisco in recent years. If Samuel can simply rediscover that level of production, his return could prove hugely valuable.