The Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers have agreed on a trade sending Deebo Samuel to Washington for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This trade is pending official confirmation when the new league year begins next week. The Commanders will also take on Samuel’s $17.5 million salary for 2025.

From a fantasy football perspective, this trade could significantly affect both teams, both of which were prolific scorers last season. Dave Richard from Fantasy Football Today points out that the biggest winners in this scenario might be the 49ers’ remaining receivers, particularly Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall. With Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL and possibly facing an uncertain future, Jennings and Pearsall stand to gain substantial fantasy value going into the 2025 season.

Richard considers Jennings a standout for this deal, backing him as a potential WR3 with a high volume of targets each game. Meanwhile, Pearsall is also suggested to be a sleeper pick moving forward.

For Deebo Samuel, while the move could lead to fewer overall touches due to adjustments in the Commanders’ offense, he will have a clearer path to targets with potentially less competition than he faced with the 49ers. On the flip side, Terry McLaurin remains the primary target within this offense, which could limit Samuel’s fantasy upside.

Anticipated changes to the Commanders’ play-calling could further rediscover Samuel’s past success, especially with plays designed to leverage his speed and agility. The Commanders previously ranked high in screen pass targets, hinting at a potential beneficial role for Samuel.

As the fantasy community digests this trade, only Richard has tentatively placed Samuel back inside the top-36 wide receivers for the upcoming season following the news.