How the 49ers Should Use Deebo Samuel

Samuel is the highest-paid weapon on the 49ers offense, so Kyle Shanahan often feels compelled to use him more than he should.

When the 49ers gave Deebo Samuel nearly $24 million per season last year, they thought he'd be their No. 1 weapon in the run game and the pass game. Now he's neither.

The run game goes through Christian McCaffrey and the pass game goes through Brandon Aiyuk. And yet, Samuel is the highest-paid weapon on the 49ers offense, so Kyle Shanahan often feels compelled to use him more than he should, especially as a receiver, the position the 49ers pay Samuel to play.

Take Thanksgiving for example. Samuel got 9 targets -- no one else got more than 6. The game revolved around him. And he was good as a receiver -- he caught 7 passes and averaged 11.2 yards per catch. Good numbers.

But Aiyuk probably would have had better numbers if he had gotten 9 targets instead of 4. Because Aiyuk is averaging 19.6 yards per catch this season while Samuel is averaging 13.9. And Aiyuk has 5 touchdown catches this season while Samuel has just one. And that's because Aiyuk is an elite route-runner, and Samuel is a poor one.

Samuel essentially is a running back. Once he gets the ball, he's extremely difficult to tackle. But he struggles to get himself open, which is why he has caught just 2 passes in the end zone in his five season career.

The 49ers need to reduce Samuel's targets and increase his carries. Let him do what he does best -- run the ball. And let him be a complementary receiver, not a primary one.

Give him 5 to 6 targets and 5 to 6 carries per game. That's the best way to use him.