WR Deebo Samuel will also play running back and return kicks in second 49ers stint

Deebo Samuel's return to San Francisco comes with a role that should excite you on draft day: he's confirmed to line up as a receiver, take snaps at running back, and handle return duties. That kind of multi-positional usage is exactly the profile that inflates weekly touch counts and floor, even in weeks where his catch total looks modest. The receiver-back hybrid role has historically been a boon for Samuel's fantasy value, since it gives him access to goal-line and short-yardage work in addition to his receiving target share, and the return duties add a small but real bump in leagues that count return yardage or touchdowns.

For draft prep, treat Samuel as a flex-with-upside asset rather than a pure WR2/3. His touch diversity gives him a higher floor than a receiver who is purely target-dependent, and the running back snaps could translate into vulture touchdown opportunities near the goal line — a real lift to his TD equity. Both reports are corroborating and carry full confidence, so this isn't speculative; it's a confirmed role heading into the season.

Action-wise, this is a moderate buy signal. Bump Samuel up your board relative to where you might have had him as a receiver-only piece, especially in PPR/multi-position flex formats where his versatility is best rewarded. He's not a must-reach top-tier pick, but in drafts where he's being valued purely as a WR without accounting for the added backfield and return work, he represents value. Keep him in consideration for a flex or WR2 role rather than a boom/bust bench stash, and monitor summer camp reports for how heavily the 49ers actually deploy him at running back, since that usage rate will determine just how much this expanded role moves the needle once the season starts.