San Francisco 49ers 2016 Position Breakdown: Looking at the Running Back Position

Aside from No. 1 running back Carlos Hyde, the San Francisco 49ers don’t exactly have a lot of answers from numerous depth options. Niner Noise takes a look at this crucial position in our offseason breakdown of the Niners 2016 roster.

In 2016, the San Francisco 49ers will employ Carlos Hyde at running back and…

It’s an open-ended statement and question. Who backs up Hyde this season? Will the job go to journeymen tailbacks like DuJuan Harris or Shaun Draughn? Or will San Francisco hand off the job to second-year pro Mike Davis?

How will rookie running back Kelvin Taylor fit into the equation, and will seldom-used, but talented back Jarryd Hayne work his way up the depth chart?

Two things are clear when breaking down this critical offensive position for the 49ers this season — Hyde needs support in order to stay healthy, and whichever back(s) San Francisco employs will have to be a fit in head coach Chip Kelly’s offense.

Barring injury, there shouldn’t be too much of a concern from Hyde. He may easily be the bell cow of the offense this season and may finally break out, as many expected him to do before a foot injury cut his 2015 campaign short.

Yet the remaining cast members are in the midst of competition for spots on the eventual 53-man roster. Who wins out may have serious implications for San Francisco’s offense.

So let’s take a look at running back in this session of Niner Noise’s position-by-position breakdown for the offseason.

Recapping 2015

Last year got off to a great start when Hyde and the 49ers hosted the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 on Monday Night Football.

All signs pointed to Hyde breaking out the year after San Francisco parted ways with franchise rushing leader Frank Gore, and the promising young back delivered with 168 rushing yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns.

And who could forget this:

But Hyde’s production fell off in subsequent weeks as a nagging foot injury began to take it’s toll. San Francisco’s offensive line problems didn’t help either — we’ve already broken down the O-line previously — which certainly hindered Hyde’s rushing efforts.

Hyde managed to get into only seven games before the foot injury sidelined him for the rest of the year.

Behind him, the 49ers tried to make things work with veteran running back Reggie Bush and rookie tailback Mike Davis. Yet both of these players were lost to injuries as well.

As a result, the Niners were left scrambling for options and ended up signing Draughn and Harris to round out the rest of the season. Both had their moments, and ended up being re-signed during the offseason, but neither should be considered legitimate starting options.

And then there was the curious case of Hayne.

After a dynamic preseason, Hayne saw his chances dwindle early in the regular season. He was demoted to the practice squad but ended up rejoining the active roster late into the year.

In all, San Francisco rushed for a total of 1,544 yards in 2015 — 21st in the NFL.

The days of the 49ers being a perennial league-leading rushing team appeared to have vanished.

2016 49ers Running Backs

San Francisco was bit hard by the injury bug at this position in 2015. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise the Niners restocked this group during the offseason — both in free agency and via the draft.

Here’s a look at the current crop of runners, courtesy of the team’s website:

• Mike Davis
• Shaun Draughn
• DuJuan Harris
• Jarryd Hayne
• Carlos Hyde
• Bruce Miller (fullback)
• Kelvin Taylor

Fullback Bruce Miller might be shifted into more of a tight end role this season, and we’ve already covered that position previously.

What to Watch for 2016

Hyde’s health will be a key focal point for San Francisco’s offense this season. And fans will be curious to see how he works into Kelly’s zone offense.

Fortunately, signs are pointing in the right direction. Hyde has dropped some weight and is looking forward to working with the new offensive scheme.

“I spent my offseason just getting my body right, slimming down,” Hyde said, via Mindi Bach of CSN Bay Area. “I saw in these reports I was slimming down for the offense. I was just slimming down for myself. I just don’t want to be weighing too much.

“I played in this offense in college, so I already know what to expect with this offense, the up tempo, no huddle offense. I’m already kind of familiar with it. I’m excited to be in it once again. I can’t wait.”

Niner Noise’s Rich Madrid provided a in-depth breakdown on Hyde’s fit with Kelly’s scheme. It’s worth a read, for those wanting to gain a little more understanding of the zone offense.

Draughn and Harris may be bubble-watch players this offseason, and each will have to earn his way onto the eventual 53-man roster. And competition will be even fiercer following the NFL Draft addition of Taylor, son of former NFL running back Fred Taylor.

But another interesting focal point will be what San Francisco does with Hayne.

Hayne, who was primarily featured on special teams last season, albeit in limited fashion, could be in line for more reps in 2016. He’ll have to prove that though, and not just during the preseason. Perhaps the added year of football activities does nothing but benefit Hayne’s chances.

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Somewhat lost in the mix is Davis, whom the 49ers drafted just over a year ago. It’s possible he gets pushed out of the equation, but less likely if the Niners choose not to retain Draughn or Harris.

Still, even if that happens, the 49ers will be carrying only so many tailbacks on their roster this season. Davis will have to prove he belongs in order to secure a roster spot.

There are only a couple of positions left in Niner Noise’s position-by-position breakdowns this offseason, so keep tuning in for in-depth analysis and assessments.

Next: Looking at 49ers Linebackers in 2016

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.