SANTA CLARA — It was the night before season kickoff, when 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was taking his team through the opening plays they’d employ against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk peered over at rookie Deebo Samuel’s notes and saw something he’d never seen before.
“As Kyle goes through each play, Deebo is going through each play, taking notes, specific things that he has to do on each play,” Juszczyk said on Wednesday. “Because Deebo is so involved in the run game and pass game, he has to be dialed in.”
With costly injuries to tight end George Kittle and veteran acquisition Emmanuel Sanders, it was imperative that at least one receiver stepped up and produced the past two weeks.