Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel Sr. or Ricky Pearsall

Tuesday, July 29, 3:08 PM

The Washington Commanders have been lining up wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. in various spots as they look to take advantage of his versatility, according to John Keim of ESPN. Not only has Samuel caught passes and run the ball, but the Commanders have paired him with running back Austin Ekeler on kickoff returns. Samuel was a big-time all-around weapon for the San Francisco 49ers earlier in his career, but they traded him to Washington in the offseason after his production went backward. Samuel caught 51 of 81 targets for 670 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games last year. As a runner, he totaled just 136 yards on 42 attempts and added another score. The 29-year-old still believes he has "a lot left in the tank," and he'll have a chance to show it as a key piece in a talented Commanders offense led by second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Sunday, July 27, 1:51 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Sunday, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Pearsall is on the field and in uniform with the rest of the team. The 24-year-old hasn't had great luck with injuries after the Niners took him 31st overall in the first round in 2024. However, he does have a couple things going for him in 2025 if he can stay on the field. First of all, Deebo Samuel Sr. is gone. Secondly, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) probably won't be ready for the start of the season and could miss a good chunk of time. In his first three games, Pearsall had 132 receiving yards and 39 rushing yards. He also finished off the year strong as a prominent member of the passing attack. The opportunity alone makes Pearsall an intriguing WR4/flex target in fantasy drafts.