San Francisco 49ers stud wide receiver Deebo Samuel is slated to practice today in a limited capacity.

49ers’ WR Deebo Samuel will be limited at today’s practice due to his shoulder injury.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2024

Any practice participation bodes well for his availability for Sunday’s NFC Championship as they host the Detroit Lions. The offense without Deebo is not the same and can be more predictable without him on the field. When Deebo was out for three games in the regular season, the 49ers went 0-3, and people questioned their team’s success without Deebo Samuel. Even during the Divisional game, the Packers arguably were the better team overall that night, but the 49ers and Brock Purdy brought it back when it mattered most.

The San Francisco 49ers are now 7 point favorites against the Detroit Lions according to California sportsbooks.

Deebo’s presence on the field is a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses because his skill set can beat you in so many different ways. Since being drafted int he second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Samuel has been one of the better route runners at the position. Also in recent years, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has used Deebo in the backfield and the running game. Even though Deebo has kinda had a down season production wise, there are just a lot of mouths to feed in this 49ers offense.

On the season, Deebo had 60 receptions for 857 yards and 7 touchdowns in 15 games. The last two seasons have not been like the 2021 breakout year. But still he’s a vital part of this offense and him practicing in any capacity will help tremendously. The Lions are built differently than the Green Bay Packers, and have a quarterback in Jared Goff with a ton of playoff experience.

This game should be a good one, and both teams should be at full strength.