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.