Since San Francisco 49ers Deebo Samuel was ruled out for Week 3 due to an ankle injury, along with Christian McCaffrey being out, the Niners’ head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Jauan Jennings will replace Samuel and take over as the starting Z receiver. This change gives Jennings a chance to make a larger impact on the 49ers passing game. Fantasy football managers who are looking for a wide receiver for Week 3 will have this to consider.
Kyle Shanahan said that Jauan Jennings will slide over into the starting Z receiver position to replace Deebo Samuel. So the question is: who takes that slot role? And how many snaps does rookie Jacob Cowing see there? pic.twitter.com/rCmEXa60ha
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 21, 2024
Jennings is set to have a larger role on the offense with Samuel being out. In the first two weeks, Jennings was targeted five times in Week 1 and four times in Week 2. These numbers imply that Jennings is already incorporated into the offense and might get more looks with Samuel inactive.
“3rd and Jauan” Jennings has been a part of the offense for a while now and has proven himself to be reliable. Measuring 6’3 215 lbs he has the size to be that big red zone target and at a 12-yard average depth of target (aDOT) shows he’s being used further down the field. He’s been running 64.1% of the offensive routes, which indicates that his role is only going to expand in the coming weeks.
Jauan Jennings May Not Be The Only Sleeper Worth Considering.
The big question is who will fill the slot role with Jennings moving outside. Jacob Cowing, a rookie with speed and great hands, could be a sneaky pickup, especially in deeper leagues. Cowing has a history of stepping up in college with over a 20% market share of his team’s passing production at Arizona. While Cowing might not be immediately fantasy-relevant in standard leagues, he could emerge as a valuable asset in deep dynasty formats.
The 49ers face the Rams in Week 3, a defense that has allowed above-average PPR fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Given that Brandon Aiyuk may draw more coverage, Jennings could find himself in favorable matchups. However, keep in mind that game scripts can be unpredictable, and this matchup might turn into a low-scoring affair.
Jauan Jennings might be worth a Flex play if you absolutely need wide receiver help, but he still remains a gamble. His increased workload means he’ll have opportunities, but whether he seizes them remains to be seen. For deeper (16-team) leagues keep an eye on Jacob Cowing for a stash, as he has the potential to be an even bigger surprise.
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