The 49ers’ running back situation is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the roster going into the 2020 season. It appears to not matter who they plug in, head coach Kyle Shanahan is going to get production out of them. They’re also not going to lean heavily on one back, and instead opt for a committee approach.
In the next portion of our depth chart projections, we try and make some sense out of the group of running backs and sort out where everyone stands at a position where all six players could be a factor in camp.
1. Raheem Mostert
It’s hard to believe Mostert won’t begin the year at the top of the depth chart. He finished last year as the team’s top running back, and 5.6 yards per carry on 137 attempts. Sitting atop the depth chart doesn’t mean Mostert will garner a lion’s share of the carries though. A talented running back group will allow head coach Kyle Shanahan to divvy up the carries among two or three players. It’s worth noting that during the final five games of last season when Mostert had his highest usage rate, he was averaging fewer than 13 carries per game. That’s probably the number he’ll find himself at again in 2020.
2. Tevin Coleman
Coleman wasn’t a lock to be on the roster going into the offseason due to his contract, but he appears to be in line for a roster spot and a sizable role in the 49ers’ offense. He started 11 of the 14 games he played last season and saw plenty of work early in the year, averaging 15 carries across a five-game stretch from Weeks 5-9. However, his touches suffered dramatically late in the year as he struggled to produce. He had only 22 carries in the final five games. Games like his four-touchdown performance against Carolina and his 105-yard day in the divisional playoff game vs. Minnesota underscore why the 49ers will continue to lean on the veteran.
3. Jerick McKinnon
The third running back spot is not locked up, but it belongs to McKinnon if he’s healthy. The 49ers brought him in prior to the 2018 campaign to be the focal point of their offense. Two knee injuries kept him out of action during his first two years in Santa Clara. Now he’s cleared for action and gets some additional time off while the NFL figures out how to proceed amid COVID-19 shutdowns. If McKinnon is healthy, he’ll have a role as a dual-threat back for the 49ers.
4. Jeff Wilson Jr.
There’s an argument to be made that Wilson is the team’s No. 3 running back going into the year after carving out a role as a short-yardage back in 2019. He also hauled in a game-winning touchdown reception on his only offensive snap vs. the Cardinals in Week 11. A strong preseason indicated Wilson might see more action in his second year, but his touches were mostly limited to goal-line situations. He could see an expanded role in 2020 if he wins the third running back job.
5. Jamycal Hasty
The door for undrafted rookies is open a little wider in Santa Clara. Both Mostert and Wilson were both undrafted. So was wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and former 49ers running back Matt Breida. Hasty is an electric, decisive runner who doesn’t shy away from contact. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry on 386 totes, and he hauled in 79 balls for 485 yards across four seasons at Baylor. If there’s going to be another undrafted back to land on the 53-man roster, Hasty appears to have the inside track.
6. Salvon Ahmed
Ahmed starts just behind Hasty, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he passed his fellow undrafted rookie. There’s too much indecisiveness when Ahmed runs, but he’s exceptionally quick laterally with good enough speed in the open field. That lateral quickness could be a key factor in landing Ahmed a roster spot if he can more rapidly get north to south rather than sideline to sideline.
