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Will Niners WR Deebo Samuel play in Sunday's NFC title game vs. Lions?
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- Will Niners WR Deebo Samuel play in Sunday's NFC title game vs. Lions?
Editor's note: Follow along for live updates and highlights from the NFC championship game.
The San Francisco 49ers have seen what not having wide receiver Deebo Samuel does to their offense and were hoping history wouldn't repeat itself in Sunday's NFC championship game .
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They got their wish.
Samuel suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of last week's 24-21 win over Green Bay and didn't return. But he was a full participant in practice Friday and said "I'm not missing" Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox) with a spot in Super Bowl 58 going to the winner.
In the three games Samuel missed during the regular season (two full games and the one in which he was hurt in the first quarter), the Niners lost all three and scored exactly 17 points in each — their lowest point total of the season.
Here's what we know about Samuel's recovery and status for the playoff matchup:
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel played just nine offensive snaps in San Francisco's divisional playoff game agianst Green Bay, catching two passes for 24 yards.
Will Deebo Samuel play vs. Lions?
Yes. An ESPN report earlier in the week said Samuel was "50-50" to play Sunday due to the shoulder injury he sustained against the Packers . After not practicing Wednesday, Samuel was a "limited" participant on Thursday.
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By Friday, Samuel was a full participant in practice with no restrictions.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed Sunday morning that Samuel would "play with no limitations."
"It's huge," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "Definitely a good thing for us."
Samuel had the benefit of an extra day of rest since the top-seeded Niners' playoff opener was last Saturday (while the Lions played on Sunday).
What was Deebo Samuel's injury?
Samuel left Saturday's game early against Green Bay with what was diagnosed as a head injury, but he was cleared to return. Shortly afterward, he came out of the game for good with a shoulder injury — the same ailment that caused him to miss time earlier in the season.
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"He tried to come back but couldn't do it," Shanahan told reporters after the game .
Shanahan said Monday that Samuel did not suffer a fracture in his left shoulder, but he is still in pain. Samuel said Friday he initially feared he'd suffered the same injury as earlier this season, and was relieved when an MRI showed it was only a deep bruise.
"Bro, right when I figured out it wasn't the same thing ... it was a relief," he said.
Samuel said he spent countless hours with the 49ers medical staff this week "getting me right where I need to be."
And that's playing. And playing at full strength.
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"I ain't protecting nothing," Samuel said flatly when asked if he'd need to protect his shoulder against the Lions.
Deebo Samuel's stats for 2023 season
In 15 regular-season games, Deebo Samuel caught 60 passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. He also ran the ball 37 times for 225 yards (6.1 per carry) and five touchdowns.
He caught two passes for 24 yards against Green Bay in the Niners' playoff opener last Saturday.
Who is Deebo Samuel's backup?
With Samuel sidelined, wide receiver Juwan Jennings stepped up for the Niners vs. Green Bay, with a team-leading five receptions for 61 yards. That came after Jennings missed the final three regular season games with a concussion.
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Jennings could see an increased workload against the Lions opposite Brandon Aiyuk , with Chris Conley , Ronnie Bell and Ray-Ray McCloud also in the receiving mix.
Contributing: Nancy Armour
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deebo Samuel injury status: 49ers WR trending toward playing vs. Lions
