The Fantasy Football Fallout of Deebo Samuel to the Commanders

We have the first trade of the 2025 NFL offseason, folks, and it’s Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Samuel joins a talented team that won two playoff contests in 2024 led by sophomore phenom QB Jayden Daniels.

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Deebo Samuel: The Universal Remote

The WR has shown equal prowess from both the backfield and as a pass catcher with his best season coming in 2021. Samuel posted 1,770 all-purpose yards with 14 touchdowns on 136 touches, and his 18.2 yards per reception led all WRs with at least 25 catches that year. While his overall numbers trended down in the following three seasons, there have been health issues like being hospitalized with pneumonia last year that have stunted his performance.

Samuel's best days could be behind him, but a fresh start in Washington could get more out of the WR than we’ve seen in recent seasons in San Francisco. The 29-year-old’s elite ability with the ball in his hands is still there, he may just need a team that accentuates his assets and brings out his best.

How Does Deebo Samuel Fit in Washington?

There would have been stiff competition for targets with the Niners this year, as Samuel was slotted to share the work with Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian McCaffrey in 2025.

The WR1 for the Commanders is still Terry McLaurin who averaged 6.8 targets per game last year with Daniels under center, down from 7.8 in 2023. Beyond him and 34-year-old Zach Ertz, the Commanders lack high-volume receivers and most of the WRs on the roster are free agents this year, including Olamide Zaccheaus, Noah and Dyami Brown, and K.J. Osborn. Samuel has averaged 6.1 targets and 2.8 carries per contest over the last three seasons, which seems like a realistic expectation for him in Washington.

Samuel has thrived on screens and quick passes, which happens to be what Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury likes to scheme. Washington was fifth in screen pass attempts in 2024 with 88, which could rise this season with a yards after catch guy like Samuel on his roster.

The Fantasy Outlook for the Commanders

Despite Samuel being closer to the end of his career than the beginning, his projected volume and elite talent with the ball in his hands, lands the 29-year-old as a low-end WR2/3 for fantasy football purposes heading into 2025. In very early Underdog drafts, the former Niner is the 39th WR off the boards with an ADP of 73.4. That should climb in the weeks to come.

McLaurin should still operate as the team’s WR1 and Samuel’s existence underneath may even free him up for more long balls. He’s being drafted as a high-end fantasy WR2 (WR14) at spot 25.2, which will likely not waiver too much as a result of the trade. Ertz’s value could take a hit though, considering he was the short-yardage guy for Washington in 2024. His early-March ADP is TE24 and he’ll likely remain a low-end TE2 or even TE3 moving forward.

Daniels is already the early QB3 and it’s highly doubtful he’d leapfrog Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, but the addition of Samuel just adds another weapon to the mix for the talented QB.

What about the 49ers?

The WR cloudiness dissipates a bit with Samuel out of the picture, leaving Brandon Aiyuk (coming off a Week 7 ACL tear), Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall at the top of the depth chart. With Aiyuk potentially missing time at the start of the season, Pearsall and Jennings will see the bulk of the volume, and both showed fantasy-relevance in 2024. Pearsall is likely to take on Samuel’s slot volume, and Jennings can handle plenty of work, as he showed up last year with the 49ers roster decimated, posting 975 yards and six scores on 77 receptions.

All three WRs are being drafted in the seventh round right now in early Underdog drafts, but that should change quickly with Samuel out of the picture. This trade should give drafters more confidence in investing in the San Francisco WR room with one less body.

George Kittle likely won’t change too much in draft stock, but he could be used as more of a yards after the catch (YAC) player in 2025 than with Samuel in the mix. He’s currently the third TE off boards with an ADP of 52.3

Bottom Line

• The trade for Deebo Samuel gives the Commanders a WR2, and a YAC guy for OC Kliff Kingsbury to scheme for.
• The lack of high-volume WRs after Terry McLaurin, along with Samuel’s elite prowess with the ball in his hands makes him a low-end fantasy WR2 heading into 2025.
• McLaurin should be considered a high-end fantasy WR2 and is being drafted at the top of the third round in early Underdog drafts, with TE Zach Ertz likely falling into low TE2/3 range.
• The absence of Samuel gives a small boost and some clarity to the WR room in SF, with Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings all viable options as fantasy WR2 or WR3s depending on Aiyuk’s health and the development of both Pearsall and Jennings.