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Entering a do-or-die matchup vs. the Chicago Bears this Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers are banking on rookie running Isaac Guerendo to fill the shoes left by reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey.
After battling bilateral Achilles tendonitis for most of the season, McCaffrey triumphantly returned in Week 10 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Three weeks, two losses, and a PCL injury later, McCaffrey’s season is over.
McCaffrey’s backup and the team’s leading rusher, Jordan Mason, has also been ruled out after suffering a high ankle sprain in the team’s Week 13 35-10 vs. the Buffalo Bills.
In steps fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo ready to make his first career NFL start.
49ers Belief in Isaac Guerendo
GettyIsaac Guerendo celebrating a Sunday Night Football win vs. the Dallas Cowboys
When the 49ers selected Guerendo with the 129th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, his odds of playing were low. A projected role player, he lacked the experience to hurdle anyone on the depth chart.
Coming out of Louisville as a sixth-year senior, injuries limited him to just 231 carries and one career collegiate start. Fast-forward 14 weeks, Guerendo has just 42 NFL attempts under his belt. He has seen action in nine of San Francisco’s 13 games, only receiving over five carries twice.
With their season in limbo, head coach Kyle Shanahan shared with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Greg Papa, on the latest episode of the “49ers Game Plan”, that he expects big things from Guerendo.
“I expect him to fill in and play like a starting running back,” Shanahan said. “That’s how we look at everything on our team. You’d like to build guys who are a little bit different and have the perfect package to mix them all together. I always want guys who are capable of being a starting back. When you’re a backup for us, if you’re not a guy that we think can be a starting back, we usually don’t like you as a backup because it’s very rare that not all these guys play.
The 49ers belief in Guerendo is necessary, and the rookie running back is eager to prove his capabilities.
Guerendo’s New Role Outlook with 49ers
Getty49ers’ running back Isaac Guerendo vs. the Dallas Cowboys
Guerendo has five runs of 10-plus yards in 2024, including a 76-yarder to clinch a win against Seattle. While his 5.9 yards per carry is the fourth-best mark among running backs with at least 40 carries this season.
Suffice it to say, the more Guerendo plays, the more comfortable he has grown in Shanahan’s outside-zone system.
“I think that’s one of those things that just comes with reps,” Guerendo said. “The more reps you get, the more you get the feel for it, and the more I’ve gotten, I think I’ve caught onto that. So that’s something that’s helped me and will continue to help me.”
The 49ers average just under 30 rushing attempts per game, and if Guerendo can stay healthy, he will see his 42 career attempts skyrocket. More importantly, he has the opportunity to solidify himself as a key contributor to the offense.
If successful, Guerendo could even work himself into a future role whether McCaffrey or Mason is healthy.
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49ers’ Isaac Guerendo Expected to ‘Play Like Starting Running Back’