Deebo Samuel Sr. — Week 1: Six Catches and a Forty-Five-Yard Return
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Friday, Sep 11
Samuel caught six of seven targets for forty-eight yards, scored the fifteen-yard touchdown that finished the ninety-nine-yard drive, ran once for twelve, and took the second-half kickoff back forty-five yards to the San Francisco forty-nine to set up the score that made it 17–7. His seven targets were worth plus two point nine expected points in a 27–7 win over the Rams in Melbourne.
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The full episode, in writing
The second half of Thursday's game started with Deebo Samuel at the San Francisco four, and seven seconds of game clock later he was at the 49. A 45-yard kickoff return, and seven plays after that Brock Purdy threw a two-yard touchdown to Mike Evans for a 17 to seven lead. Samuel had touched the ball twice on that drive — a three-yard catch on second and five from the five, and the return that put the offense on the wrong side of midfield to begin with. He had also returned the kickoff after the Rams' only touchdown 29 yards to the 31.
The touchdown came in the fourth: second and eight at the Los Angeles 15, 13 oh four left, Purdy short right to Samuel for 15 yards and a 24 to seven lead, the last play of an 11-play drive that had started at the San Francisco one. That throw was worth +2.5 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and it was the biggest single number in his line. The line itself: seven targets, six catches, 48 yards, one touchdown, +2.9 on the targets. The catches were nine, two, three, 13, six and 15; the one incompletion was first and 10 from the 31, San Francisco's first snap of the second quarter. He also carried once, behind the right guard for 12 yards on first and 10 from the eight with two 43 left in the half.
Where he sat in the passing game: tied for second in targets with Evans at seven, one behind Christian McCaffrey, and one of three 49ers to catch a touchdown. San Francisco threw nine times after halftime and four of those went to Samuel, which on a night the offense ran 18 times in the second half is a real share of a small thing.
The June preview's question about Samuel was whether the volume underneath his 2025 numbers — routes, targets, touches — would hold in a new place. Thursday's answer was seven targets, one carry and two kickoff returns, which is a lot of touches for a night the offense threw 34 times. One game does not settle the volume question; it did put him in the touchdown column and in the return game, both of which are worth watching. San Francisco is home to Miami on Sunday the twentieth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Deebo Samuel Sr.'s week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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