Deebo Samuel quietly showing No. 1 WR traits

Deebo Samuel’s numbers aren’t eye popping, but he’s quickly becoming the 49ers’ top receiver.

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49ers rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel’s traditional numbers aren’t eye-popping, but the second-round pick is quietly putting together a stellar first season.

Samuel, who the 49ers took No. 36 overall out of South Carolina, had another big game Sunday against the Cardinals. He caught eight balls for a career-best 134 yards. That put his season totals at 38 catches for 473 yards and one touchdown.

He’s tied for No. 53 in the league in receptions, No. 50 in yards, No. 61 in yards per reception, and he’s way down the ranks in touchdown catches.

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However, he leads all rookie receivers in receptions, and he’s No. 4 in yards despite San Francisco ranking 27th in pass attempts.

Where Samuel’s No. 1 receiver traits shine through are in his advanced numbers. He made the Pro Football Focus Week 11 Team of the Week with an 84.4 overall grade to lead the 49ers offense Sunday. He’s forced 12 missed tackles – tops in the NFL at his position, and he’s No. 1 with 7.2 yards per reception after the catch per PFF’s Jeff Deeney.

The ability to create yards after the catch is part of the reason Samuel was an attractive target for San Francisco in the second round. While Shanahan tends to create YAC with his scheme, Samuel has generated plenty of his own by forcing defenders to whiff in the open field. Tackling the 5-11, 215-pound Samuel looks a little bit like trying to wrestle a grizzly bear.

He also made this ridiculous catch Sunday:

A lot of Samuel’s YAC early in the season came on screens and quick throws, but now his game is expanding as he’s gotten more comfortable and the need for playmakers has expedited his increased role in the offense.

Jimmy Garoppolo is looking for the rookie more often than ever in the intermediate and deep areas of the passing game, and it’s producing results.

Samuel has shined in two games without tight end George Kittle and with Emmanuel Sanders nursing a rib injury. He’s posted 16 catches for 246 yards on 21 targets in those two contests, and became the first 49ers rookie since the AFL-NFL merger to have 100 receiving yards in back-to-back games per Josh Dubow of the AP.

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San Francisco has badly needed Samuel to step in and be effective right away, and the receiver has answered the bell with a rookie season that appears to be peaking at the right time. Even if Samuel doesn’t finish the year as the team’s top wide receiver, his trajectory and expanding skill set have him on track to get there soon.