RADIO
Deebo Samuel Sr. start 'em, sit 'em fantasy football picks for Week 2 of 2026. Should you start or sit Deebo Samuel Sr. for fantasy football lineups in Week 2?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12-Team Leagues
POSITIONAL VALUE: WR3
ANALYSIS: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. was expected to play an ancillary role with his team when he was signed in the offseason. Then 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) had surgery to correct his PCL issues and was ruled out for the rest of the season, and rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) injured his ankle.
Stribling also had surgery and is now on Injured Reserve -- he's expected to miss around 10 games. Samuel thus will step into the WR2 spot, behind elite wideout Mike Evans. The WR2 role in this offense is quite valuable, with quarterback Brock Purdy continuing to sling it well and head coach Kyle Shanahan still at his best.
PURDY CONNECTS WITH DEEBO FOR THE TD!!
SFvsLAR on Netflix pic.twitter.com/XKrxUtmLzI
— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2026
There's enough in this passing game to make three pass-catchers fantasy relevant -- namely Evans, Samuel, and tight end George Kittle. They'll all become entrenched in starting lineups for as long as Stribling is out.
And the matchup isn't quite as relevant for this team. While some receivers struggle to do much against tough pass defenses, Shanahan has an answer for almost anything. Samuel also gets designed rushing work and is schemed targets where he can run after the catch, which gives him extra insulation against tough matchups.
This week, the 49ers get an opportunity to face the struggling Dolphins at home. Shanahan has no problem running up the score in blowout games, and Samuel should get plenty of involvement. He's worth starting in all 12-team leagues.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 2 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Deebo Samuel Sr. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 2. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 2 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Deebo Samuel Sr. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 2.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 2 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 2 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 2 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 2 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Deebo Samuel Sr. compared to others:
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