Tag: Jerick McKinnon

Fantasy football: 5 sleepers to start, 5 starters to sit in Week 3

Five starters that are sleepers and players to sit in fantasy football Week 3.

We’re two weeks into fantasy football this year and we’ve had some massive injury concerns already pop up. Perhaps unlike anything ever during a single weekend… Week 2 might have hit your team hard.

But because of that, setting your lineup correctly has some increased importance in Week 3. If you lost a consistent starter, that replacement must preform, and we’re here to help.

Here are five sleepers to start and five starters you’ve got to sit in Week 3 of fantasy football:

49ers running back Jerick McKinnon. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Sleepers to start

QB Ryan Tannehill, Titans

at Vikings

After having to really prove his worth early this season, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has done that. He has six touchdowns and 488 passing yards. Not a ton of yardage, however, his lack of any interceptions makes up for that. Previously thought of as a good secondary, the Vikings are not so far this year, allowing the fifth-most yards per game (283.5) and 10th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

RB Myles Gaskins, Dolphins

at Jaguars

There’s not a lot of other options in the Dolphins offense, that’s a good start to the discussion for Myles Gaskin. Add that into the Dolphins backfield. Gaskin through two games is leading in snaps by a large margin and while Jordan Howard is getting goal line touches, it’s Gaskin in South Beach. The Jaguars are also allowing the ninth-most fantasy football points to running backs this year.

RB Jerick McKinnon, 49ers

at Giants

Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman are going to miss the 49ers’ Week 3 contest versus the New York Giants. That could mean a two-back system with Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson. But the 49ers have consistently targeted their running backs a lot in the passing game anyway and that’s where McKinnon thrives. Plus, Jimmy Garoppolo is likely to miss the game. The 49ers lean on their running backs when their starter does play, let alone when a backup QB is in.

WR Golden Tate, Giants

vs. 49ers

No defense, specifically has taken more of a beating on the field via injuries than the 49ers. No Nick Bosa or Soloman Thomas the rest of this season. That could’ve bode well for Sterling Shepard, but the Giants’ No. 1 receiver is sidelined himself. This lines up for a good outing en route for Golden Tate, who stepped up in 2019 when Shepard was out.

TE Tyler Higbee, Rams

at Bills

Fresh off a three touchdown outing, it’s unlikely that Tyler Higbee would do that again against any given team. But the Bills allowed a huge game to the Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki last week without their starting linebackers on the field, and both are still limited in practice this week and will unlikely be 100 percent. Higbee is a safe bet.

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Exclamation point: Jerick McKinnon scores 18-yard touchdown

The 49ers went up 31-6 on the New York Jets behind Jerick McKinnon’s first rushing touchdown since 2017.

Injuries couldn’t stop the 49ers from rolling against the Jets in New York. Jerick McKinnon put an exclamation point on a dominant showing from San Francisco with an 18-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

That’s his second touchdown of the season, and his first rushing touchdown since Oct. 29, 2017.

WATCH: 49ers, Jerick McKinnon convert 3rd-and-31 vs. Jets

Jerick McKinnon took a handoff 55 yards on a third-and-31 to give San Francisco a first down vs. the New York Jets.

The 49ers offense started the second half going the wrong direction. They faced a third-and-31 with Nick Mullens under center. Head coach Kyle Shanahan called a toss play just trying to get a little room for the punt team. Jerick McKinnon had other ideas.

A 55-yard run on a third-and-31 is pretty incredible, and it helped set up a 46-yard field goal that put San Francisco up 24-3.

Watch: Jets allow Niners to conver 3rd-and-31 on running play

There was no penalty on the play and the Niners managed to turn a running play into a first down on 3rd-and-31.

The New York Jets had the San Francisco 49ers right where they wanted them. Or was it the Niners who had the Jets where they wanted them?

San Francisco was faced with a third-and-31 in the third quarter Sunday against hapless Gang Green.

The Niners were without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Raheem Mostert, who already had an 80-yard TD run.

So, play it safe, right? Nick Mullens hands off to Jerick McKinnon and you take your losses and punt.

Not against the Jets!

Watch as McKinnon breaks loose for a 55-yard run and the most unlikely conversion for a first down in years.

Adam Gase must be feeling the heat getting turned up on a crisp day in New Jersey

WATCH: Jerick McKinnon scores 1st NFL TD since 2017

Jerick McKinnon put the San Francisco 49ers on top of the Arizona Cardinals with his first touchdown in almost three years.

49ers running back Jerick McKinnon played in his first NFL game in 966 days Sunday. He wound up being a factor on offense for San Francisco, and scored a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. The touchdown was his first since December 3, 2017.

The touchdown gave San Francisco a 20-17 lead with 8:40 to play.

Four 49ers who have gone more than 600 days since last game will play vs. Cardinals

Trent Williams, Jerick McKinnon, Trent Taylor and Jerick McKinnon will all return to the field Sunday for the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers are on a redemption tour after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. A quartet of players on their roster are on something of a redemption tour of their own.

Offensive tackle Trent Williams, tight end Jordan Reed, wide receiver Trent Taylor and running back Jerick McKinnon should all suit up and play for San Francisco in Sunday’s season opener vs. the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium. As ESPN’s Nick Wagoner pointed out on Twitter, none of those four player have played a regular-season game in the last 600-plus days.

Williams and Taylor have both gone 623 days since they last played in the regular season. For Reed it’s been 644 days. McKinnon is at a whopping 966 days.

Both Williams and Taylor both played in their teams’ 2018 season finales. Williams went on to miss all of 2019 due to a cancerous growth on his skull. Taylor suffered a Jones fracture before the first preseason game last year and wound up missing the entire season.

Reed was active for Washington’s Week 14 game in 2018, but a toe strain in that Week 14 contest sidelined him for the rest of the year. He was on track to return last season before a concussion – his seventh – in a preseason game vs. the Falcons forced him to sit out the season.

McKinnon’s story is a familiar one for 49ers fans. He signed with San Francisco before the 2018 season to be a focal point of their offense. A torn ACL a week before the regular season was set to begin ended his year. Complications with that surgically repaired ACL in last year’s training camp required another surgery that ended his 2019 campaign. He hasn’t played since Week 17 of the 2017 season.

Now all four are aiming for a different story this year. They’re all fully healthy and went through training camp without any major issues. If Williams, Taylor, Reed and McKinnon can stay healthy and effective this season – they’ll get their redemption while working as vital pieces in the 49ers quest for their own.

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Jerick McKinnon on right track to return, contribute

Jerick McKinnon looks to have his knee injury behind him after two years away.

Jerick McKinnon stood out in the first practice 49ers media was allowed to attend. The running back made a handful of notable plays according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, and appears to be on track to be healthy and participating more than he did last training camp before going down with another knee injury.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan had high praise for McKinnon after Saturday’s session. He noted that McKinnon’s knee finally healed right after two surgeries on a torn ACL, and that he’s in a spot to contribute this season.

“It’s still the first day, the first step, but you can tell it healed right,” Shanahan said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “And you can tell Jet’s put that work in, and you feel all that he’s gone through the past two years. I feel he’s finally in position where he has a chance to have that comeback now.”

McKinnon initially signed with the 49ers prior to the 2018 season and suffered a torn ACL a week before the regular season was set to begin. His return in last year’s camp was quickly derailed due to complications with his surgically repaired knee.

He went on Injured Reserve and was initially cleared to return to activity in December. The additional time off with offseason workouts cancelled due to the pandemic gave McKinnon time to heal and get extra work in to prepare.

Early returns are positive, which is a good sign for the 49ers’ backfield. McKinnon offers explosive playmaking ability as a runner and pass catcher. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo noted earlier in the offseason that he likes working with McKinnon because of his savvy route-running ability. A true receiving back was missing in the 49ers’ backfield last season, and McKinnon could give them that wrinkle he was supposed to give them when he signed in 2018.

Why Jimmy Garoppolo is excited to get Jerick McKinnon back

Jerick McKinnon’s tenure with the 49ers got off to a good start. They signed him to be the focal point of their offensive backfield, and he played that role well in training camp and through the preseason. Then a week before the 2018 season was …

Jerick McKinnon’s tenure with the 49ers got off to a good start. They signed him to be the focal point of their offensive backfield, and he played that role well in training camp and through the preseason. Then a week before the 2018 season was supposed to start, McKinnon tore his ACL. He hurt the same knee prior to the 2019 campaign. Two years in he’d taken zero regular season snaps with the 49ers.

Now McKinnon is as healthy as he’s been since the 2018 offseason and there’s room for a multifaceted playmaker in San Francisco’s backfield following the trade of Matt Breida to the Miami Dolphins. Jimmy Garoppolo on Tuesday in a press conference explained why he’s excited to have McKinnon back.

“Jet, being a former quarterback it’s kind of a rarity to have a skill position guy who sees the game like a quarterback still and Jet does a great job of that,” Garroppolo said. “Even just throwing routes on air this offseason, he runs them differently than most running backs and he has a feel that’s like a receiver, but he feels space like a quarterback. It’s very unique and I’m excited to get him back, man. It’s been a while. We came in together, me and him when we both signed here, and it’s exciting to have him back.”

While McKinnon doesn’t have a huge track record of production in the NFL, he offers something a little different for San Francisco’s backfield.

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He’s a capable runner and pass catcher, but he separates himself from Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. because he can split out wide and effectively play as an additional receiver. If he and Garoppolo are on the same page, it could be a really nice addition to the 49ers’ passing game.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the NFL’s best at drawing up explosive plays, and having a running back who can function capably in multiple positions makes San Francisco tougher to defend. There’s a reason they went out and got McKinnon before the 2018 season and restructured his deal this offseason to keep him in Santa Clara.

The biggest question with McKinnon will be health though. Garoppolo liking his skill set and hypothetical personnel packages are great, but it ultimately won’t matter if McKinnon’s not on the field.

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49ers facing complicated running back situation

The 49ers have a glut of talent at running back, leading to a tough decision on the roster.

The 49ers face a slew of tough roster decisions heading into the 2020 season, but perhaps the most complicated one is in their very crowded, albeit very talented, running backs room.

Matt Breida on Thursday signed his one-year restricted free agent tender, ensuring he wouldn’t sign with another club in the offseason. The signing put a spotlight on the 49ers’ roster at the running back position and the tangled web of talent the front office has assembled.

Heading into the NFL draft, here’s what the 49ers’ group of running backs looks like:

Raheem Mostert
Matt Breida
Tevin Coleman
Jeff Wilson Jr
Jerick McKinnon

Mostert is the only player in that group signed beyond the 2020 season.

Breida is on a one-year restricted free agent tender. Coleman is on the second year of a two-year deal he signed last offseason. Wilson is on an exclusive rights tender, and McKinnon restructured his contract to effectively make it a one-year deal with an extra year tacked on strictly for spreading out his cap hit.

The only sure thing for the 49ers at running back going into this season is Mostert. While he can be let go without any major salary cap ramifications, he’s valuable as a runner and on special teams and shouldn’t have any trouble keeping his roster spot. Everyone after him is more expendable, but they also serve real roles in the 49ers’ offense.

Breida is a trade candidate, but he’s averaging more than 5.0 yards per carry in his career.

Coleman can be let go with $2 million in dead cap and just over $2.8 million in saving. He spearheaded the rushing attack through the middle part of the season and had a monster divisional playoff game against the Vikings.

Wilson can be released with no dead cap, but he’s the team’s de facto short-yardage and goal line back when he’s active.

McKinnon’s restructure makes him a $2 million cap hit with $910,000 in cap savings if he’s released after June 1. His torn ACL before the 2018 season and complications from it before 2019 have kept him from suiting up for the 49ers in the regular season, but his skill set could allow him to be the team’s top running back if he’s healthy.

With a maximum of four roster spots available for running backs, San Francisco is looking at a numbers issue in the backfield. And that’s without the added wrinkle of the team drafting another running back to ensure they have a player on a cheap contract beyond the 2020 season. That would give them six players for a maximum of four roster spots, and no easy cuts in the group.

Typically moving on from running backs is easy in a modern NFL where the value at that position is steadily declining. It’s not that easy for San Francisco though – a team that ran the ball more than every team but the Ravens last year. They rely too heavily on their deep stable of backs to spearhead the NFL’s second-highest scoring offense.

That group is going to look a little bit different in 2020, and figuring out who stays and who goes is going to be one of the toughest, most important decisions the 49ers coaching staff makes all year.

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Ranking the Vikings’ 3 best 3rd-round picks since 2000

With the NFL Draft right around the corner and our Kyle Ratke ranked the Vikings’ three best third-round picks since 2000. 3. RB, Jerick McKinnon, 2014 The Vikings found a shifty former college quarterback to be their change-of-pace running back. In …

With the NFL Draft right around the corner and our Kyle Ratke ranked the Vikings’ three best third-round picks since 2000.

3. RB, Jerick McKinnon, 2014

The Vikings found a shifty former college quarterback to be their change-of-pace running back. In three of McKinnon’s four seasons with the Vikings, he eclipsed the 500-yard rushing mark and also combined for 984 receiving yards during that stretch.

We saw just how dangerous was in 2017 when he ran for 570 yards and caught 51 passes for another 421 yards. He was a big part of the team’s 13-3 season.

McKinnon earned a big deal with the 49ers the following offseason. Unfortunately, he hasn’t played in a game since after tearing his ACL before the 2018 season.

2. WR, Nate Burleson, 2003

Burleson only played three seasons with the Vikings after being drafted out of Nevada, but he showed almost immediately that he was going to be a dangerous in the league for a long time.

In his second season, Burleson piled up 1,006 receiving yards to go with nine touchdowns. After three seasons in Minnesota, he spent four seasons with the Seahawks and another four with the Lions. He never hit the 1,000-yard mark, but he lasted 11 years in the NFL and had 5,630 receiving yards and 39 touchdowns. That’s more than what most third-round picks can say.

1. DE, Danielle Hunter, 2015

What an absolute home run this pick was.

Hunter was considered a project, at just 21 years old, out of LSU. In his first season with the Vikings, he piled up six sacks. In his second season, he had 12.5. What made that so wild was that he started just one game during that time.

Hunter is coming off of back-to-back 14.5 sack seasons and has 54.5 for his career. And he’s only 25 years old. In 2019, he made his second Pro Bowl and became the youngest player in NFL history to record 50 sacks.

Seems like things are going in the right direction for Hunter.