The San Francisco 49ers have a diverse array of offensive weapons on the roster this season, though one popular analytics site says the team’s running back corps doesn’t stack up particularly well against the rest of the NFL.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently ranked the position groups of all 32 NFL offenses. The 49ers running backs found themselves in the bottom half of the order, ranked at 18th following a year in which top ball carriers found it difficult to stay on the field.
“Injuries to Raheem Mostert in 2020 put a damper on what was another impressive showing when he was healthy and on the field,” wrote Ben Linsey, who authored the article for PFF. “Mostert is one of the fastest running backs in the NFL and an ideal fit in a Kyle Shanahan scheme that prioritizes big plays in the run game. Mostert has put up rushing grades of 77.0 or higher in each of the past two seasons.”
49ers Added Considerable Depth at Running Back This Offseason
GettyRaheem Mostert #31 of the San Francisco 49ers stiff arms B.J. Goodson #93 of the Green Bay Packers during the second half of the NFC Championship game at Levi’s Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California.
If Mostert can stay healthy for the majority of the season, the 49ers certainly have a chance to be above average at the running back position, despite the aforementioned ranking. He missed eight games in 2020.
However, even if San Francisco’s RB1 can’t figure out how to stay on the field, the team’s depth at the position is considerable.
Jeff Wilson Jr. actually led the 49ers in rushing yards last year, but suffered a bizarre knee injury while standing up from a locker room chair in May. He is likely to miss the first several weeks of the season.
The Niners signed Wayne Gallman Jr., formerly of the New York Giants, this offseason following the best year of his career. JaMycal Hasty, along with rookies Trey Sermon and Elijah Mitchell, round out the depth chart at the position group.
Running Backs Are Not the Niners’ Only Rushing Threats
GettyKyle Juszczyk #44 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with George Kittle #85 after scoring a touchdown.
The 49ers have more to rely on in the run game than their running back corps. Namely, one of the best fullbacks in the game.
“It’s also worth noting Kyle Juszczyk here as one of the few high-usage fullbacks remaining in the NFL,” Linsey continued in his PFF article. “His 3,383 offensive snaps since 2014 are over twice as many as the next closest fullback, and his 79.8 offensive grade over that stretch falls behind only Anthony Sherman at the position.”
Beyond that, San Francisco drafted rookie quarterback Trey Lance out of North Dakota State University where the signal caller was also a prolific runner. Standing at 6-feet, 4-inches tall and weighing 225 pounds, Lance scrambled for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2019 on the way to an FBS national title.
One of the primary reasons Shanahan drafted Lance was to incorporate a running threat from the pocket to enhance what is already one of the most advanced run schemes in the NFL.
So while the 49ers running back group may struggle to stay on the field at times, its depth combined with rushing threats at other positions could certainly position the San Francisco rushing attack as more effective than 18th in the league.
However, if injuries continue to play a meaningful role for the Niners in 2021, that ranking could end up significantly worse.
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49ers Running Backs Disrespected by PFF Analyst