Make Up or Break Up: Deebo Samuel (Fantasy Football)
It’s that time of year again — when we start asking the hard questions. You know, the kind that keeps us up at night. Are they really the one? Can I trust them again? Or is it finally time to move on? No, I’m not talking about your dating life; I’m talking about your fantasy football team.
Welcome to Makeup or Breakup, a deep dive into those complicated fantasy relationships. These are the players who broke our hearts last season… or ghosted us when we needed them most. Maybe they’re in a new city this year. Sometimes, a change of scenery rekindles the spark. Do we give them another chance? Or are we done falling for the same old story? Because in fantasy (just like in love), it’s all about the situation. So grab some tissues because we’ve got some feelings to sort through.
Dear Deebo Samuel,
We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we? Remember when you were the guy back in 2021, finishing the fantasy season at WR3? Over 1,400 receiving yards, another 365 on the ground. You were the YAC King — breaking tackles and trucking your way to 14 TDs. Yes, Fourteen. 2023 wasn’t too shabby either — 1,117 total yards and 12 TDs in just 15 games. Those were the days, weren’t they?
| Receiving | Rushing | ||||||||||||||||
| SEASON | GP | RANK | PTS | PPG | SNP% | TGT | REC | CTCH% | YDS | Y/C | LNG | TD | ATT | YDS | Y/A | LNG | TD |
| 2019 | 15 | 29 | 160.6 | 10.7 | 67% | 81 | 57 | 70% | 802 | 14.1 | 42 | 3 | 14 | 159 | 11.4 | 31 | 3 |
| 2020 | 7 | 97 | 64.2 | 9.2 | 34% | 44 | 33 | 75% | 391 | 11.8 | 35 | 1 | 8 | 26 | 3.2 | 10 | 0 |
| 2021 | 16 | 2 | 300.5 | 18.8 | 76% | 121 | 77 | 64% | 1405 | 18.2 | 83 | 6 | 59 | 365 | 6.2 | 49 | 8 |
| 2022 | 13 | 37 | 140.4 | 10.8 | 60% | 94 | 56 | 60% | 632 | 11.3 | 57 | 2 | 42 | 232 | 5.5 | 51 | 3 |
| 2023 | 15 | 12 | 213.7 | 14.2 | 66% | 89 | 60 | 67% | 892 | 14.9 | 54 | 7 | 37 | 225 | 6.1 | 23 | 5 |
| 2024 | 15 | 44 | 128.1 | 8.5 | 63% | 81 | 51 | 63% | 670 | 13.1 | 76 | 3 | 42 | 136 | 3.2 | 13 | 1 |
Last year, things just never quite lined up. A calf strain in Week 2, a wrist injury in Week 6, and then everything fell apart in Week 7. You took the field ready to go, but your body had other plans. Pneumonia hit hard. You were hospitalized that night as the fluid in your lungs made it hard to breathe and impossible to play football. And when you came back, the explosiveness wasn’t there. The production dipped. But how could it not? Pneumonia isn’t a quick recovery. Sometimes, it takes months to get your lungs back in shape. Last season was your worst statistical season to date, with only 670 yards and three TDs, with career lows in YPRR (1.60) and YAC per reception (8.2). The fantasy world calls you slow… old… washed.
But what if you were just out of breath?
You’re only two seasons removed from elite-level production. You’re healthy now. You’ve got a fresh start and a new offense. WR41? That’s not where you belong. I haven’t forgotten who you are. I’ll be honest, this move to Washington might be exactly what you needed. Let’s talk about it:
The Washington Commanders went out and pursued you. They acquired you. They wanted you. Ok, it may have only been for a 2025 fifth-round pick, but hey, they have plans for you.
Now, you’re catching passes from Jayden Daniels. The chatter of MVP is already ringing, as Daniels is a dual threat who keeps defenses guessing. They have to account for his legs, your explosiveness out of the backfield, and the deep threat of Scary Terry stretching the field. Under Daniels, we saw Terry McLaurin thrive, and even guys like Dyami Brown and Zach Ertz flirt with fantasy relevance. But let’s be real. You’re more talented and bring way more upside than either of them. And with Dyami, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Jamison Crowder all gone, the competition behind you is nonexistent. Outside of McLaurin, this WR room is thin, and that opens the door for real volume and real opportunity. This could be your time to shine in Washington.
Kliff Kingsbury’s offense? It’s tailor-made for you. He runs a horizontal spread that creates space and feeds playmakers with quick passes, screens, and jet sweeps. We all know you thrive when you’re fed the ball quickly. Once the ball is in your hands, we’ve seen what your yards after the catch ability looks like, and it is a true thing of beauty. Just look at how he utilized Rondale Moore and Christian Kirk. Now imagine what he can do with you, a more physical, polished, versatile version of those guys.
Deebo Samuel landed in the best spot for his skillset in Washington.
Kliff Kingsbury offenses:
WR Screen Targets
– 2024: 3rd-most
– 2022: 2nd
– 2021: 1stWR RPO Targets
– 2024: 4th
– 2022: 10th
– 2021: 8thWR Rush Atts
– 2024: 24th
– 2022: 8th
– 2021: 5th— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) June 17, 2025
The Commanders didn’t get too creative with WRs in the run game last year, ranking just 24th in WR rush attempts. That’s a far cry from what Kliff Kingsbury is used to. His offenses in Arizona ranked fifth in WR rush attempts in 2021 and eighth in 2022, and that is why Washington went out and got you, Deebo. You’re not just a WR. You’re a weapon. And in Kingsbury’s system, you’ll be used exactly like that.
Yeah, Terry is still the WR1, and he had 13 TDs last season. However, that number is likely to come down. With all eyes on him, you’ll have space to eat. This is your chance to remind everyone what you can do when you’re healthy, featured, and playing with an ascending QB in a system that knows how to use you.
I’m not going to lie; we all saw that unflattering video of you “jogging” routes at minicamp. I guess Twitter/X doesn’t know what “install plays” are. If you look past the one “viral” clip of you and watch some clips of you where you are the focus of the play…well, I see some of the old Deebo’s shades there.
This app was clowning Deebo Samuel yesterday but won’t say anything about this 💨 pic.twitter.com/BdhYCbyUPx
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) June 12, 2025
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had very glowing reviews of you as well. Saying “somewhere along the way, I’d forgotten until [he was] out here how fast he is. I can remember one time he just ran by somebody down the field on a deep ball, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I forgot about that.”
He even goes on to call you one of the fastest players on the roster. Is this coach speak or is Quinn genuine?
I know you’re 29 now, but I don’t care. You’re healthy, you’re motivated, and you’re in a situation that plays to all of your strengths with an offensive coordinator who knows how to utilize you. So yeah, I’m in.
I want to make up.
At WR41, Deebo Samuel isn’t just a worthy gamble. He’s a post-hype sleeper. Even a bounce-back to WR20 territory would be a massive win at that draft cost. Let’s run it back, Deebo. Let’s leave the heartbreak behind and chase some TDs together in D.C. Terry has to have some TD regression coming, as managers are drafting him at his ceiling. If you want a piece of this offense, you can wait four more rounds and grab Deebo instead.
Sincerely,
Brittney
P.S. Here’s a highlight reel from Andy showcasing the Deebo we all know and love. Enjoy.
Highlights from Deebo this past week illustrate every way he’s amazing. pic.twitter.com/8KmmAfXhPy
— Andy Holloway (@andyholloway) January 12, 2022
Comments
Well written! Love the makeup/breakup branding on this too. Fun series.
I want to believe so badly
Thank you for this