Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel Sr. or Brian Thomas Jr.

Monday, November 9, 3:27 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday that the hope is to have wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) at practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Samuel has not played since the Week 5 win over the division-rival Seattle Seahawks due to a hamstring injury, but if he returns to practice this week, he should have a good opportunity to return on Sunday in a Week 10 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Meanwhile, fellow veteran receiver Mike Evans (Achilles, ribs) does not look ready to return to the field and is trending towards missing a third straight game with multiple injuries. If the 30-year-old Samuel returns and Evans is out again against Dallas, Samuel could return with a bang against a shaky Cowboys secondary. Samuel does not have the kind of upside he had earlier in his career, but San Francisco's banged-up WR corps in 2026 has provided him with additional opportunities. In five games played in his eighth year in the league, Samuel has 16 receptions on 20 targets for 206 yards and three touchdowns and has added nine carries for 78 yards on the ground. We will keep a close eye on the Week 10 statuses of both Samuel and Evans later this week.