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Trent Taylor 2020 Outlook: Bigger Role Following Samuel's Injury and Sanders' Departure
4 years agoStill recovering from multiple foot surgeries, Trent Taylor’s name has ironically re-emerged following news of WR Deebo Samuel’s foot injury. While TE George Kittle is the unquestioned number one weapon in this offense, the 49ers’ depth chart boasts a bevy of unproven pass catchers. First-round WR Brandon Aiyuk will be tasked with adjusting to the NFL under unusual circumstances, and last season’s disappointing performance has WR Dante Pettis rumored to be on the roster bubble. The 49ers also have receivers Travis Benjamin, Kendrick Bourne, and Jalen Hurd vying for targets. There exists a notable opportunity for someone from this group to emerge, at least temporarily, while Samuel recovers. Predicting which of these receivers emerges, however, could be a problem. Nonetheless, there are reasons to pay attention to slot-receiver Taylor as a late-round sleeper. QB Jimmy Garoppolo finished the 2019 season ranked 27th in pass attempt distance, 29th in deep ball attempts, and held an average depth of target of only 6.7 yards. Midseason acquisition Emmanuel Sanders commanded a 17.4% target share while operating primarily from the slot, and Taylor may have the most direct route to those vacated targets. His ADP of WR175 and current ranking of WR132 reflect both the obstacles facing Taylor and the low cost of gambling on a player who could have a valuable role if Samuel’s injury lingers.
