Player
Deebo Samuel
WR
The 2021 season revealed a new archetype — a WR who functions as a full RB in the run game. No scheme since has replicated the volume or efficiency SF achieved with Samuel.
7-year career, 6 healthy seasons. The 2021 1,405-yard year + 365 rush yards is one of the most unique WR statlines ever.
TrendSamuel regular-season production by year
| Year | Tm | G | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | SF | 15 | 57 | 802 | 3 | 159 | 3 |
| 2020 | SF | 7 | 33 | 391 | 1 | 26 | 0 |
| 2021 | SF | 16 | 77 | 1,405 | 6 | 365 | 8 |
| 2022 | SF | 13 | 56 | 632 | 2 | 232 | 3 |
| 2023 | SF | 15 | 60 | 892 | 7 | 225 | 5 |
| 2024 | SF | 15 | 51 | 670 | 3 | 136 | 1 |
| 2025 | WAS | 16 | 72 | 727 | 5 | 75 | 1 |
Total scrimmage yards by year
| Season | Yards |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 961 |
| 2020 | 417 |
| 2021 | 1770 |
| 2022 | 864 |
| 2023 | 1117 |
| 2024 | 806 |
| 2025 | 802 |
Why it matters. The 2021 season revealed a new archetype — a WR who functions as a full RB in the run game. No scheme since has replicated the volume or efficiency SF achieved with Samuel.
His 2021 8 rushing TDs were the most by any NFL WR in a single season since at least 2010.
RareMost rush TDs by a WR in a single season (since 2010)
| Player | Year | Rush TDs | Rush Yds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deebo Samuel | 2021 | 8 | 365 |
| Deebo Samuel | 2023 | 5 | 225 |
| Tavon Austin | 2015 | 4 | 434 |
| Ty Montgomery | 2016 | 3 | 484 |
| Tyreek Hill | 2016 | 3 | 267 |
Why it matters. Scoring 8 rushing TDs as a WR means Samuel was functionally acting as an RB in the red zone — a role the 49ers designed and that no other team has replicated at this volume with a wideout.
Among WRs with 4,000+ career receiving yards since 2010, Samuel leads all in career rushing yards by a 46% margin over #2.
ComparisonWRs with 4,000+ rec yards ranked by career rushing yards (since 2010)
| Player | Career Rec Yds | Career Rush Yds |
|---|---|---|
| Deebo Samuel | 5,519 | 1,218 |
| Tyreek Hill | 11,450 | 833 |
| Robert Woods | 8,423 | 511 |
| DJ Moore | 8,213 | 510 |
| Julian Edelman | 6,493 | 420 |
Why it matters. The gap between Samuel and the next-closest WR proves the 2021-2023 49ers design was anomalous — Hill, who plays a similarly explosive role, accumulates rush yards at half Samuel's career pace.
SF era (2019-2024): 5,935 scrimmage yards in 81 games (73.3/g). WAS year (2025): 802 in 16 games (50.1/g). The SF system, not Samuel, created the volume.
SplitSamuel career splits by team
| Team | Years | Games | Total Yds | Yds/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | 2019-2024 | 81 | 5,935 | 73.3 |
| WAS | 2025 | 16 | 802 | 50.1 |
Why it matters. The per-game dropoff isolates the 49ers' scheme as the key variable — when Samuel moved to a less tailored system, his scrimmage output fell 31% even accounting for game count.
Played in Super Bowl LIV (2019 season) and Super Bowl LVIII (2023 season). 2 SB appearances in 7 years; both losses to KC.
MilestoneSamuel Super Bowl history
| SB | Season | Result | Samuel Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIV | 2019 | L vs KC | 5 rec 39 yds |
| LVIII | 2023 | L vs KC OT | 3 rec 33 yds |
Why it matters. Two Super Bowl appearances in 7 seasons with a mid-market team speaks to sustained team excellence; both losses to the same opponent adds a bitter storyline that defines his SF chapter.
His 2025 75 rushing yards was the career low. SF used him on 159 rush yards in his rookie year; WAS barely touched that role at all.
AnomalySamuel rushing yards by season
| Year | Tm | Rush Yds |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | SF | 159 |
| 2020 | SF | 26 |
| 2021 | SF | 365 |
| 2022 | SF | 232 |
| 2023 | SF | 225 |
| 2024 | SF | 136 |
| 2025 | WAS | 75 |
Why it matters. The declining rush usage at SF (365→232→225→136) began years before Samuel left, suggesting the Shanahan offense evolved away from the role even while Samuel was at his peak athleticism.
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