The San Francisco 49ers have injury issues unlike any team in the NFL. Injury issues to the point where they are so prevalent it almost doesn’t make sense to use any player of significance in practice scenarios where they might get hurt.
To that end, they still need players to complete training camp, and Niners Noise’s Nick San Miguel thinks they should bring back former running back Jeff Wilson Jr. to at least have bodies in the backfield.
Wilson played for the 49ers from 2018 to 2022. He returned for training camp in 2025 but was released as part of final roster cuts. He eventually found a home with the Miami Dolphins, where he played 3 regular-season games last season.
“Wilson is a veteran who is very familiar with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s run scheme and remained in a very similar offensive scheme under then-head coach Mike McDaniel in Miami,” San Miguel wrote on July 31. “Injuries happen, and teams simply need guys in pads for training camp or to throw out there in the preseason, so it wouldn’t shock anyone to see Wilson back in the red and gold once again … there’s really no chance Wilson would make the regular-season squad if the Niners signed him unless there were a ton of serious injuries in the running back room, but depth is key this time of year, so keep an eye on Wilson returning to the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2018.”
Jeff Wilson Carved Out Unlikely NFL Career
Against the odds, Wilson has played almost an entire decade in the NFL and passed the $10 million career earnings mark in 2025.
Wilson, 6-foot and 213 pounds, starred at North Texas in college, where he had over 1,000 yards of total offense each of his last 2 seasons, including career highs of 1,215 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in 2017 on the way to earning All-Conference USA honors.
He made the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and has 2,370 career rushing yards, 585 career receiving yards and 23 career total touchdowns through his 1st 8 seasons.
49ers’ All-Pro RB Under Microscope in 2026
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner singled out NFL All-Pro running back and former NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey as the 49ers’ top “Player to Watch” in 2026 — because as McCaffrey goes, so go the 49ers.
“In 2025, McCaffrey earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and finished second for the Offensive Player of the Year Award,” Wagoner wrote. “That came after a league-high 450 touches. It’s clear from San Francisco’s 40-16 record when McCaffrey plays that they need him available as much as possible, but they must strike the proper balance to keep him fresh in his age-30 season.”
Wagoner’s 53-man roster prediction has the 49ers keeping 4 running backs: McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk, Jordan James, and Kaelon Black. James is already dealing with an injury issue just 1 week into training camp and is the clear-cut RB 2 behind McCaffrey.
“49ers RB Jordan James suffered a rib fracture in Monday’s practice,” Wagoner wrote on his official X account on July 29. “He will miss some time.”
49ers Urged to Bring Back ‘Forgotten’ 23-TD Running Back