Niner Noise
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Predicting the San Francisco 49ers Starting Lineup in 2017

By Peter Panacy

Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Running Back

The 49ers are fortunate enough to have a featured tailback in Carlos Hyde. The only problem has been keeping him healthy over the course of a full season.

Hyde missed nine games with a foot issue last year. He’s already missed another two this season with a shoulder injury.

Expect the Niners to add some competition this offseason, either via the draft or free agency. Perhaps San Francisco likes what it sees out of journeyman running back DuJuan Harris, and the team makes a move to extend him as a change-of-pace back to spell Hyde in 2017.

But this year’s NFL Draft class is pretty stacked at running back. So it might be wise for the Niners to find a promising up-and-coming runner to back up Hyde and, potentially, emerge as a No. 1 option in the not-so-distant future.

Think what the Arizona Cardinals have been able to do with running back David Johnson.

In the meantime, Hyde starts in 2017.