The San Francisco 49ers need a new leading wide receiver with Brandon Aiyuk out for the year. The reigning NFC champs already have had to limit Deebo Samuel in the Sunday loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

But will Samuel be fully ready to play after all ahead of the Dallas Cowboys game? Head coach Kyle Shanahan delivered an encouraging update Wednesday.

The seventh-year head coach addressed the health of the 2021 All-Pro Samuel with the media. Samuel happened to be in the hospital recently, but is now out. Shanahan said that Samuel is on track to rejoin the 49ers in practices leading into the Sunday Night Football contest.

“He got in here yesterday, doing better than you’d expect with that stuff. And we’ll see how he goes throughout the week,” Shanahan said via ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, even concluding that Samuel has a shot at playing against Dallas.

The 49ers ended last Sunday with discouraging news in their WR room. Aiyuk was diagnosed with a torn ACL following the 28-18 loss in the Super Bowl rematch at Levi’s Stadium. Now, Samuel’s status is a boost in encouragement for the wideout room.

How 49ers WR Deebo Samuel has fared in 2024 

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) jogs towards the locker room before the start of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Samuel finished in quiet fashion against the defending Super Bowl champions. The 49ers capped him at just four snaps according to Pro Football Reference Advanced Stats. By playing in less than five plays, Samuel was unable to record a single reception, let alone take one handoff.

But overall, the 49ers have thrown Samuel into their huddle on more than 47 plays when he’s available.

While Aiyuk took the mantle of WR1 for the 49ers offense, Samuel remains a big part of the offensive plans. He’s delivered two 100-yard outings this season: 110 yards against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 15, then erupted for a 102-yard evening versus the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 10. Samuel also has caught between three to eight receptions in four of six games during the 2024 campaign.

San Francisco, though, hasn’t increased his touches on the rushing side even with 49ers star Christian McCaffrey still out of action. Samuel has carried the ball no more than eight times in each game and hasn’t surpassed 23 rushing yards. He scored just one rushing touchdown in Week 1 against the New York Jets.

The Cowboys, however, have watched Samuel deliver big plays in front of them over the years. Samuel is yet to taste defeat against the 49ers’ longtime postseason rival, going 3-0 overall.

Samuel combined for 110 total yards including 72 rushing in the 2021 season road playoff win at Dallas 23-17. He then tallied 85 yards of offense in the 42-10 trouncing in Santa Clara in front of a Sunday Night Football audience. Samuel touched the football four times each on handoffs and receptions in the last 49ers-Cowboys contest — settling for 56 yards in eliminating Dallas from the 2022 postseason 19-12.

If Samuel officially gets the green light to play, he’ll line up against a Cowboys defense ranking 24th in total yards allowed. The Dallas defense dipped to a new low last Sunday against Detroit — surrendering 492 total yards and three red zone touchdowns in the Lions’ 47-9 romp at AT&T Stadium.