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San Francisco 49ers: 6 Players Who Will Break Out in 2016

By Nicholas McGee

January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jimmie Ward (25) runs the football during the fourth quarter against the St. Louis Rams at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Rams 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jimmie Ward (25) runs the football during the fourth quarter against the St. Louis Rams at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Rams 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 23, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Redskins 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Redskins 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Carlos Hyde

Carlos Hyde is the 49ers’ starting running back. At this juncture there is no disputing that.

San Francisco has nobody on the roster who can challenge Hyde for that berth but the former Ohio State tailback has yet to prove whether he can become the long-term bell cow for the 49ers.

In fairness to Hyde, it is injuries that have prevented him from showing what he can do for a full season. And there have been more than a few glimpses to suggest he can be a star in this league.

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His stunning 168-yard and two-touchdown performance in last year’s opener against the Minnesota Vikings served as a devastating demonstration of his abilities. But even before that, Hyde had shown evidence of his clear talent as a runner.

Staying healthy will be key for Hyde after a stress fracture in his foot severely hampered his first season as the No. 1 guy in the San Francisco backfield.

All signs are that Hyde is fully recovered from his foot surgery and Kelly — per 49ers.com — was glowing in his praise of the tailback in a recent interview with KNBR:

"Carlos is a stud. He’s been full-go since we started in the beginning of April. He is as advertised. To have someone that size who is that agile and has that vision, it’s really impressive to see him work every day."

Kelly places a heavy emphasis on the run game in his offense and his words indicate he is ready to rely on Hyde, who has previous excelled on the kind of stretch running plays to the outside that should feature in heavily in the 49ers’ new scheme.

A determined, downhill runner who has underrated agility for a man of his size, Hyde should relish running behind a mauler in Joshua Garnett at guard and, if he is able to avoid injury, is in a great spot to establish himself as one of the better backs in the NFL in 2016.

Next: Eric Rogers