Who Should I Start? Calvin Ridley or Deebo Samuel Sr.

Wednesday, April 29, 6:00 AM

Former 49ers and Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. remains unsigned following the 2026 NFL Draft, which saw 36 new receivers drafted into the league. In what was often described as a "flavors class" at the position, most receiver-needy teams were able to come away from the three-day event believing they'd found an offensive fit. At his peak, Samuel's physical YAC abilities made him one of the most unique receivers in the game, but even coming off a year in which he led a depleted Commanders team in receiving yards and touchdowns, age and injuries have slowed him considerably. Since finishing as the fantasy WR2 in a remarkable 2021 season that saw him top 1,750 yards from scrimmage while scoring 14 touchdowns, Samuel has exceeded 865 total yards only once and finished as the WR28 or worse in three of four seasons. With the NFL overlooking him in free agency and turning to a deep draft class to find scheme fits, it's possible that Samuel will need to wait for a training camp injury before finding a new home, and at 30 years old and RotoBaller's WR78, he's become little more than a dynasty hold who can hopefully see one more value spike if that home provides a natural match for his once-dominant skill set.