Deebo Samuel’s appearance on the 49ers’ practice participation report wasn’t expected, and he’s officially listed as ‘questionable’ on the Week 12 injury report after a full week of limited practice. Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday provided some detail on the wide receiver’s injury.
Shanahan said the issue isn’t a result of a recurring hamstring problem for Samuel, but something new that popped up during practice.
“No, it was something different,” Shanahan said in a press conference after Friday’s practice. “We got back at like seven in the morning, I’m sure he went home and slept for a while. It was a little weird day. He didn’t feel it much on Tuesday. Got the information on Wednesday and then we were safe about it.”
There’s no indication as to whether the issue will be bad enough to sideline Samuel for Sunday’s showdown with the Saints, but it’s worth noting that the 49ers played it safe during the week of practice before listing their star receiver as questionable. They may have wanted to limit his practice reps to ensure his availability against the Saints on Sunday. They could also continue playing it safe Sunday though with the hopes of ensuring Samuel’s health the rest of the season.
Samuel was absent from the club’s Week 8 matchup against the Rams with a hamstring issue. In that game Christian McCaffrey went off for three touchdowns. The club has a chance to survive a week or two without Samuel, but an extended time might be tougher to navigate.
