San Francisco 49ers: Reviewing the team’s 2017 running backs group
The San Francisco 49ers relied on Carlos Hyde and Matt Breida heavily in the run game this season. How did they and others fare in 2017?
It’s fair to say that the San Francisco 49ers rushing attack wasn’t great in 2017, but they definitely have the potential to become better next season.
The 49ers finished twenty-first in the league in rushing this season with 1,664 total yards. And for San Francisco, Carlos Hyde and Matt Breida were the two most proficient players in the run game.
Both managed to stay fairly healthy, which meant the 49ers didn’t have to resort to signing someone off the street like they did in previous seasons with Shaun Draughn and DuJuan Harris.
The 49ers did have rookie running back Joe Williams in the mix to begin the year, but he ended up going on injured reserve before the regular season commenced.
So, how did San Francisco’s running backs fare in 2017? Let’s begin with Carlos Hyde:
Carlos Hyde
Ever since 49er legend Frank Gore departed for the Indianapolis Colts in 2015, Carlos Hyde was viewed as the inevitable replacement. Last season, Hyde was a bright spot in a terrible season as he nearly rushed for 1,000 yards.
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This season, Hyde nearly reached that big 1,000 yard mark. He garnered 938 rushing yards on 240 carries, averaging four yards a carry.
He also got into the end zone eight times and with an offensive line as inconsistent as San Francisco’s, that means Hyde had a pretty good year.
Albeit, his numbers would’ve been much better with a good and healthy offensive line, but Hyde worked with what he had, and was still close to 1,000 yards.
He also led the team in receptions, hauling in 59 passes for 350 yards. Head coach Kyle Shanahan loves his duel threat running backs and Hyde showed flashes of being that guy. However, his drops killed the team at times.
Entering free agency, Hyde should be a sought after talent that a plethora of teams could use. However, he clearly wants to stay a 49er and if San Francisco can establish a better offensive line next season, you have to bring back Hyde for another season.
Matt Breida
The undrafted rookie from Georgia Southern, Matt Breida turned plenty of heads before the preseason as a legitimate threat to make the 53-man roster.
Eventually, Breida solidified his role on the team and the 49ers were lucky they made the right choice. Providing a different style and pace than Hyde, Breida’s quickness brought a new element to this team that they were clearly lacking.
Breida finished the season with good numbers despite having a limited role. He carried the ball 105 times for 465 total yards, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. He also had two touchdowns, most importantly being the one against the Jacksonville Jaguars which sealed the deal in the upset win.
In the passing game, he similarly struggled with drops like Hyde, but had 21 catches for 180 yards and one touchdown on the year.
Breida will make the running back competition even better next season.
Raheem Mostert
You may wonder why Raheem Mostert is on this list, considering he only had six carries. But his impact was not made as a running back.
He was one of the best special teams players on the roster and had eight tackles before an injury put him on injured reserve. His absence was immediately felt as the next game against Chicago, the Bears returned a punt 62-yards for a touchdown.
Before his injury, Mostert was definitely Pro Bowl bound for his impact on special teams.
Next: 49ers Safety Starters 2018
Kyle Juszczyk was not included in this review because he technically isn’t a running back, but he closed out the season fantastically with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback.
How did you think San Francisco’s running backs did in 2017?