San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered an injury that forced him out of last week’s Divisional Round game against the Green Bay Packers. There were concerns early on in the week about his status for the NFC Championship game this coming Sunday, but there was some positive news on Thursday as it was announced that the dynamic playmaker would be returning to practice on a limited basis.

49ers Are Far More Successful With Samuel In The Lineup

49ers this season when Deebo Samuel starts and finishes the game

12-1 straight up

10-3 against the spread

49ers this season when Deebo Samuel doesn’t play or finish the game

1-4 straight up

0-5 against the spread pic.twitter.com/JUWSCxPOfa

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 25, 2024

It isn’t the first time that Samuel has dealt with a shoulder ailment this season. During a Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns, he injured the shoulder enough to force him to miss the remainder of the contest, as well as the next two. The 49ers wound up losing all three games, and then went 8-1 over their final nine.

The success with Deebo Samuel and the failures without him are glaring for San Francisco. When he starts and finishes a game, his team is 12-1 on the year. When he doesn’t finish a game or is out entirely, the 49ers are 1-4.

While Christian McCaffrey may get the numbers and the accolades, Samuel’s importance to the team is obvious. His play making ability makes him useful from all over Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and he scored 13 total touchdowns on the year to go along with 1,117 total scrimmage yards in 15 starts. It stands the eye test, too, as it appeared that Brock Purdy and company seemed to slow down once Samuel exited the game last week.

Tough Road Ahead If San Francisco Wants To Achieve Goals

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

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2024

They’ll need all hands on deck if they want to accomplish their ultimate goals. They are substantial favorites for their game against the Detroit Lions this weekend, currently listed as 7-point favorites on most boards. But Dan Campbell and company are tough, and getting through them would only set them up for a date against one of Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson.

Samuel has been one of the more vocal players on the 49ers roster this season. He has gotten into wars of words with Eagles players as well as with Micah Parsons, and continued to stay in the spotlight this week by defending Brock Purdy against some of the naysayers that have come out ahead of the NFC Championship. One thing to watch on Sunday will be the battle between him and CJ Garnder-Johnson, as the two had their own beef earlier in the season.