The first move of the offseason involved former South Carolina Gamecock, Deebo Samuel, being traded to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a 5th-round pick.
Washington’s receiving core lacked star power outside of Terry McLaurin. While Samuel might not be the same player we saw in 2021 when he finished with 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns, the former San Francisco 49er is still viewed as an upgrade for the Commanders receiving core. Samuel’s greatest strength is the versatility he brings to an offense. Let’s dive into the effects of this trade for fantasy football!
Winners
Deebo Samuel
A trade for Samuel was seen coming and landing in Washington is a big win. Samuel had a down year for his standards but now gets to fill in as Washington’s number two receiver on an offense with fewer mouths to feed than San Francisco. It felt like it was only a matter of time before Samuel was traded, and of all the possible landing spots, Washington was the most ideal situation. The grass should be greener in Washington for the former 49er.
Jayden Daniels
Daniels had a fantastic rookie campaign, finishing the year as the QB5! Adding a playmaker like Samuel will help any offense keep the chains moving. Daniels’ favorite target this past season was McLaurin, who led the team with 117 targets. Samuel will fill in behind McLaurin and provide the second-year signal caller with another reliable target.
Ricky Pearsall/ Jauan Jennings
Pearsall made his NFL debut in Week 7 after recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered in August. The former Florida Gator showed flashes of being a valuable fantasy contributor towards the end of his rookie season. In Week 17, Pearsall scored 28.70 points and followed it up with 18.90 points in Week 18. Samuel and his 81 targets departing from San Francisco, Pearsall should be in line to receive more looks from quarterback Brock Purdy.
Jennings was one of the few pleasant surprises for the 49ers last season. With injuries to Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey, Jennings stepped into a larger role and had his best statistical season. Jennings finished with 77 receptions, 975 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns. He’ll have a great opportunity to replicate his production in 2025 with Samuel leaving town.
Losers
Brock Purdy
The 2025 season will be vital for Purdy and his future with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers offense got hit with the injury bug in 2024, which could explain the fall off in Purdy’s production. Samuel being dealt away gives Purdy one less weapon to throw to and it looks like Brandon Aiyuk could be next to follow Samuel out of town as rumors are swirling that he might be traded as well. The 49ers could go out and add another weapon this offseason, but for now Purdy takes a little hit in fantasy for losing Samuel.Â
Dyami Brown/ Olamide Zacccheaus/ Luke McCaffrey
The Commanders receiving core revolved around Terry McLaurin and Zach Ertz. Dyami Brown showed flashes of being a contributor in the playoffs with 89 receiving yards in the Wildcard round and 98 yards in the Divisional round. Olamide Zaccheaus was third on the team in targets but failed to be fantasy-relevant as he finished the season averaging 6.61 fantasy points per game.
Luke McCaffrey was recently taken in the third round of the NFL Draft and was a player to keep an eye on coming into the season, but was buried on the depth chart. McCaffrey finished the season with under 200 receiving yards and is still looking for his first touchdown. Adding a dynamic playmaker like Samuel will bury these receivers on the depth chart and eliminate any chance of consistent fantasy production for these receivers.Â