The 49ers clearly made it a point to get WR Deebo Samuel going in Thursday night's loss to the Rams. It didn't work. Samuel turned seven targets into three catches and 16 yards. His two carries went for just three yards. Samuel was bottled up after the catch and had a brutal drop on a crossing route in the third quarter that could have gone for a 29-yard TD. He also had a false-start penalty.
It's not a total coincidence that the 49ers scored just six points in a game in which they tried to make Samuel the focal point. QB Brock Purdy averaged 2.3 yards per attempt targeting Samuel; 5.3 targeting everyone else.
Samuel has now been held under 23 receiving yards in five straight games. He's finished outside the top-50 WRs in PPR points in all five and has cracked the top-36 in just two of his last 11.
We're guessing (and hoping) the 49ers will make less of an effort to get Samuel the ball going forward. WR Jauan Jennings and TE George Kittle are clearly the team's best pass catchers right now.
Samuel belongs on fantasy benches the next two weeks vs. the Dolphins and Lions.
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