The San Francisco 49ers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding WR Deebo Samuel.
Is Deebo Samuel Playing in Week 10?
Deebo Samuel Sr. was limited for practice both Wednesday and Thursday as he continues to battle rib and oblique injuries. Samuel practiced again on Friday (and was not wearing a non-contact jersey) and is considered questionable for Week 10. Nothing suggest Deebo won’t be ready for Sunday’s game against the Bucs.
Samuel, already banged up going into Week 8, suffered a rib injury late in the 49ers’ win over the Cowboys. While the 49ers labeled him questionable to return, Samuel never re-entered the game, finishing with eight touches for 86 scoreless yards. He appeared to score a long second-quarter touchdown, but it was called back due to offensive holding.
Samuel was active for Week 7 but played just four snaps while battling a wrist injury and pneumonia. Fellow 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL in that game, leaving Samuel as Brock Purdy’s clear WR1 for the remainder of the season.
San Francisco had a bye in Week 9, allowing Samuel to recover from his various maladies.
We’ll continue to monitor the 49ers injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Deebo Samuel in Week 10?
There are no shortage of moving pieces in San Francisco and while the return of Christian McCaffrey figures to take some food off the plate of Deebo Samuel Sr., he still figures to be involved enough to start in all formats.
In his healthy games this season, Samuel is averaging 7.8 touches per game, a number that I think makes for a reasonable projection with CMC being worked back in and Brandon Aiyuk obviously out of action.
The high-end ceiling is no longer there, but his role in this uber-efficient offense appears to be safe and in the year of receiver injuries, that’s more than enough to garner interest as a WR2 in all formats.
Deebo Samuel’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 10
As of Sunday, Samuel is projected to score 15.4 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 4.1 receptions for 62.3 yards and 0.3 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Buccaneers’ Defense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the widest split in their offense and defense, ranking inside the top five on offense and inside the bottom 10 on defense. That defense continues to be a problem, having allowed 102 points in the last three weeks. That has seen them go 0-3 despite scoring 81 points in that stretch.
The Buccaneers’ defense has not done much well. It struggles more against the pass but also has issues against the run. Some of the deeper numbers are not an issue, but the overall picture is that they are allowing 2.44 points per drive (29th) and 5.8 yards per play (27th).
Do you want more insight on all other defensive units across the NFL? Head over to our PFN Defense+ Rankings for analysis on all 32 teams.
Deebo Samuel’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 12:45 AM ET on Friday, December 27. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 17 WR PPR Rankings
1) Ja'Marr Chase | CIN (vs. DEN)
2) Puka Nacua | LAR (vs. ARI)
3) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (at SF)
4) Justin Jefferson | MIN (vs. GB)
5) Mike Evans | TB (vs. CAR)
6) Nico Collins | HOU (vs. BAL)
7) A.J. Brown | PHI (vs. DAL)
8) Terry McLaurin | WAS (vs. ATL)
9) Davante Adams | NYJ (at BUF)
10) Tyreek Hill | MIA (at CLE)
11) Tee Higgins | CIN (vs. DEN)
12) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (vs. TEN)
13) Courtland Sutton | DEN (at CIN)
14) Ladd McConkey | LAC (at NE)
15) Drake London | ATL (at WAS)
16) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (at CHI)
17) Malik Nabers | NYG (vs. IND)
18) Cooper Kupp | LAR (vs. ARI)
19) Garrett Wilson | NYJ (at BUF)
20) Jauan Jennings | SF (vs. DET)
21) Zay Flowers | BAL (at HOU)
22) Keenan Allen | CHI (vs. SEA)
23) DJ Moore | CHI (vs. SEA)
24) Jakobi Meyers | LV (at NO)
25) Jordan Addison | MIN (vs. GB)
26) DK Metcalf | SEA (at CHI)
27) George Pickens | PIT (vs. KC)
28) Calvin Ridley | TEN (at JAX)
29) DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs. DAL)
30) Adam Thielen | CAR (at TB)
31) Khalil Shakir | BUF (vs. NYJ)
32) Jameson Williams | DET (at SF)
33) Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF (vs. DET)
34) Jayden Reed | GB (at MIN)
35) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (at PIT)
36) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (at LAR)
37) Xavier Worthy | KC (at PIT)
38) Jaylen Waddle | MIA (at CLE)
39) Darnell Mooney | ATL (at WAS)
40) Jerry Jeudy | CLE (vs. MIA)
41) Josh Downs | IND (at NYG)
42) Jalen McMillan | TB (vs. CAR)
43) Hollywood Brown | KC (at PIT)
44) Rome Odunze | CHI (vs. SEA)
45) Romeo Doubs | GB (at MIN)
46) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND (at NYG)
47) Amari Cooper | BUF (vs. NYJ)
48) Rashod Bateman | BAL (at HOU)
49) Quentin Johnston | LAC (at NE)
50) Jalen Coker | CAR (at TB)
51) DeMario Douglas | NE (vs. LAC)
52) Xavier Legette | CAR (at TB)
53) Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG (vs. IND)
54) Christian Watson | GB (at MIN)
55) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN (at JAX)
56) Elijah Moore | CLE (vs. MIA)
57) Marquez Valdes-Scantling | BUF (vs. NYJ)
58) Calvin Austin III | PIT (vs. KC)
59) Joshua Palmer | LAC (at NE)
60) Robert Woods | HOU (vs. BAL)
61) Parker Washington | JAX (vs. TEN)
62) Tim Patrick | DET (at SF)
63) Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL (at WAS)
64) John Metchie III | HOU (vs. BAL)
65) Keon Coleman | BUF (vs. NYJ)
66) David Moore | CAR (at TB)
67) Devaughn Vele | DEN (at CIN)
68) Michael Wilson | ARI (at LAR)
69) Tre Tucker | LV (at NO)
70) Kendrick Bourne | NE (vs. LAC)
71) Mike Williams | PIT (vs. KC)
72) Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN (at CIN)
73) Andrei Iosivas | CIN (vs. DEN)
74) Kayshon Boutte | NE (vs. LAC)
75) Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS (vs. ATL)
76) Malik Washington | MIA (at CLE)
77) Jalen Tolbert | DAL (at PHI)
78) Brandin Cooks | DAL (at PHI)
79) Sterling Shepard | TB (vs. CAR)
80) Tyler Lockett | SEA (at CHI)
81) Demarcus Robinson | LAR (vs. ARI)
82) Adonai Mitchell | IND (at NYG)
83) Dyami Brown | WAS (vs. ATL)
84) Alec Pierce | IND (at NYG)
85) Dontayvion Wicks | GB (at MIN)
86) Allen Lazard | NYJ (at BUF)
87) KaVontae Turpin | DAL (at PHI)
88) Van Jefferson | PIT (vs. KC)
89) Darius Slayton | NYG (vs. IND)
90) Ricky Pearsall | SF (vs. DET)
91) Jamison Crowder | WAS (vs. ATL)
92) Tyler Boyd | TEN (at JAX)
93) Troy Franklin | DEN (at CIN)
94) Kevin Austin Jr. | NO (vs. LV)
95) Mack Hollins | BUF (vs. NYJ)
96) Tutu Atwell | LAR (vs. ARI)
97) Jalen Nailor | MIN (vs. GB)
98) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (at PIT)
99) Michael Woods II | CLE (vs. MIA)
100) Justin Watson | KC (at PIT)
San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Insights
San Francisco 49ers
Team: The 49ers won six straight games out of their bye last season, outscoring the opposition 207-94 in the process.
QB: In Weeks 1-7 last season, Brock Purdy’s quick pass rate was 74.1%. Since, that rate has been trimmed to 55.4%.
Offense: Settling. The 49ers have kicked a field goal on 26.5% of their drives this season, up from 11.7% a year ago.
Defense: In Weeks 2-6, San Francisco forced their opposition to go three-and-out on 28.8% of their drives, a rate that spiked in the two weeks before their bye (43.5%).
Fantasy: Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, and Purdy were the only QBs to finish Weeks 6-7-8 as a top-10 fantasy signal-caller.
Betting: The 49ers have covered six of their past eight games as a road favorite (those two losses came in Weeks 2-3 this season, outright losses to the Vikings and Rams).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Team: Will their fate depend on how they can produce on the road? Following the Week 11 bye, Tampa Bay plays four of five on the road (all of which are winnable: Giants, Panthers, Chargers, and Cowboys).
QB: Baker Mayfield has the longest active streak of multi-pass games at six straight (Josh Allen is second with four straight).
Offense: Tampa Bay has allowed pressure on just 12.8% of dropbacks over the past two weeks, easily the lowest rate in the league.
Defense: The Bucs have allowed opponents to convert 60% of third downs over the past two weeks (first seven weeks: 37.2%).
Fantasy: Cade Otton is one of four pass catchers to have 15 PPR points in each of the past three weeks, joining Justin Jefferson, Terry McLaurin, and Cedric Tillman.
Betting: Overs are 7-2 in the last nine instances in which a team on short rest faces one on an extended break.