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Isaac Guerendo

Guerendo expected to start for 49ers

Isaac Guerendo isn’t healthy, but indications are that he intends to play. That makes for one of the key decisions for Week 15.

If Guerendo were 100 percent healthy, he would be a top-10 running back on my board. He looked real good in his first start as a pro last week, carrying 15 times for 78 yards and 2 TDs before leaving with a foot injury, and San Francisco has a long history of successfully featuring the running back position.

I toyed around with some numbers, looking at him, the 49ers, and the defense they’re playing. My guesstimate would have Isaac as a top-10 back in standard scoring, and just outside the top 10 in PPR or touchdown-only.

Guerendo was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday. He’s questionable on the injury report. Two NFL Network reporters say Guerendo is expected to play.

At the same time, Guerendo isn’t 100 percent. The 49ers could be looking to spell him more than usual, and there’s increased probability of him not feeling right and leaving the game early. It reminds me Jordan Mason earlier in the season, trying to play with a shoulder injury at Seattle and leaving that game in the second quarter. Mason came back for one play in the third quarter before shutting it down for good.

If the 49ers are using other backs, I think most likely it would be Patrick Taylor or Israel Abanikanda. Taylor hasn’t gotten much traction at the NFL level but in 2018 ran for 1,122 yards on a Memphis team that had four other running backs who have started in the NFL – Tony Pollard, Darrell Henderson, Antonio Gibson, Kenneth Gainwell. And I liked what I saw out of Abanikanda in the preseason; I don’t understand why the Jets quit on him after less than two years.

But it’s looking like Guerendo will be starting tonight. My preference would be to start a safer back, even if coming with less upside. (I’m in a league where I’m starting Chase Brown and Chuba Hubbard over Guerendo). But those who don’t have a Brown or Hubbard probably will be best serve just rolling with Guerendo, hoping that foot holds up.

Certainly, San Francisco has a long history of churning out good running backs. Below, in chronological order, are the tailbacks who’ve started for the 49ers the last five years. Those who scored rushing touchdowns are tagged with black dots. Those who ran for at least 60 yards are tagged with black dots.

(All of these backs, of course, also generated yards and touchdowns as pass catchers. My general preference is to cite traditional NFL stats rather than fantasy point totals, with scoring varying from league to league.)

SAN FRANCISCO'S STARTING RUNNING BACKS (last 5 years)
YearPlayerOppResultAttYardsAvgTD
2020Raheem MostertAri.L 20-2415563.70
2020•• Raheem Mostertat NYJW 31-1389211.51
2020• Jerick McKinnonat NYGW 36-914382.71
2020• Jerick McKinnonPhil.L 20-2514543.91
2020• Raheem MostertMia.L 17-4311908.20
2020• Raheem MostertLARW 24-1617653.80
2020•• Jeff Wilsonat N.E.W 33-6171126.63
2020Tevin Colemanat Sea.L 27-373206.70
2020• Jerick McKinnonG.B.L 17-3412524.31
2020Jerick McKinnonat N.O.L 13-2718331.80
2020• Raheem Mostertat LARW 23-2016432.71
2020Raheem MostertBuff.L 24-349424.70
2020• Raheem MostertWas.L 15-2314654.60
2020• Raheem Mostertat Dall.L 33-4114684.90
2020• Jeff Wilsonat Ari.W 20-12221838.30
2020•• Jeff WilsonSea.L 23-2620763.81
2021Raheem Mostertat Det.W 41-3322010.00
2021Elijah Mitchellat Phil.W 17-1117422.50
2021• Trey SermonG.B.L 28-3010313.11
2021• Trey SermonSea.L 21-2819894.70
2021Elijah Mitchellat Ari.L 10-179434.80
2021•• Elijah MitchellInd.L 18-30181075.91
2021•• Elijah Mitchellat Chi.W 33-22181377.61
2021Elijah MitchellAri.L 17-318364.50
2021• Elijah MitchellLARW 31-1027913.40
2021Jeff Wilsonat Jac.W 30-1019502.60
2021•• Elijah MitchellMin.W 34-26271334.91
2021•• Elijah Mitchellat Sea.L 23-3022663.01
2021Jeff Wilsonat Cin.W 26-2313564.30
2021•• Jeff WilsonAtl.W 31-13211105.21
2021• Jeff Wilsonat Ten.L 17-2014453.21
2021• Elijah MitchellHou.W 23-7211195.70
2021• Elijah Mitchellat LARW 27-2421854.00
2022Elijah Mitchellat Chi.L 10-196416.80
2022• Jeff WilsonSea.W 27-718844.70
2022• Jeff Wilsonat Den.L 10-1112756.30
2022•• Jeff Wilsonat Car.W 37-15171207.11
2022Jeff Wilsonat Atl.L 14-287253.60
2022Jeff WilsonK.C.L 23-447547.70
2022•• Christian McCaffreyat LARW 31-1418945.21
2022Jeff Wilsonat LARW 31-144143.50
2022• Christian McCaffreyLACW 22-1614382.71
2022Christian McCaffreyat Ari.W 38-107395.60
2022Christian McCaffreyN.O.W 13-011322.90
2022• Christian McCaffreyMia.W 33-1717663.90
2022•• Christian McCaffreyT.B.W 35-7141198.51
2022•• Christian McCaffreyat Sea.W 21-13261084.21
2022• Christian McCaffreyWas.W 37-2015463.11
2022•• Christian McCaffreyat L.V.W 37-34191216.41
2022Christian McCaffreyAri.W 38-1310454.50
2023•• Christian McCaffreyat Pitt.W 30-7221526.91
2023•• Christian McCaffreyat LARW 30-23201165.81
2023•• Christian McCaffreyNYGW 30-1218854.71
2023•• Christian McCaffreyAri.W 35-16201065.33
2023• Christian McCaffreyDall.W 42-1019512.71
2023Christian McCaffreyat Cle.L 17-1911433.90
2023• Christian McCaffreyat Min.L 17-2215453.01
2023• Christian McCaffreyCin.L 17-3112544.51
2023• Christian McCaffreyat Jac.W 34-316955.90
2023• Christian McCaffreyT.B.W 27-1421783.70
2023•• Christian McCaffreyat Sea.W 31-13191146.02
2023•• Christian McCaffreyat Phil.W 42-1917935.51
2023• Christian McCaffreySea.W 28-16161459.10
2023•• Christian McCaffreyat Ari.W 45-29181156.41
2023•• Christian McCaffreyBalt.L 19-33141037.41
2023• Christian McCaffreyat Was.W 27-1014644.60
2023• Elijah MitchellLARL 20-2114523.71
2024•• Jordan MasonNYJW 32-19281475.31
2024•• Jordan Masonat Min.L 17-23201005.01
2024• Jordan Masonat LARL 24-2719774.10
2024• Jordan MasonAri.L 23-2414896.40
2024• Jordan Masonat Sea.W 36-249738.10
2024Jordan MasonK.C.L 18-2814584.10
2024Christian McCaffreyat T.B.W 23-2013393.00
2024• Christian McCaffreySea.L 17-2019794.20
2024Christian McCaffreyat G.B.L 10-3811312.80
2024Christian McCaffreyat Buff.L 10-357537.60
2024•• Isaac GuerendoChi.W 38-1315785.22

Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com

—Ian Allan

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