Running Back
Halfback: Carlos Hyde
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk
Running back Carlos Hyde has been a pretty big headline leading up to training camp, much of it focused on whether or not he could even make the 53-man roster.
But the latest buzz just before training camp suggests otherwise, at least according to general manager John Lynch (h/t Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee):
John Lynch said it's obvious that RB Carlos Hyde has changed his physique to fit what the 49ers do. "He looks tremendous," Lynch said.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) July 27, 2017
Hyde, who enters a contract year this season, is likely the favorite to start at running back. While it’s possible the Niners want to shift the primary duties to fourth-round draftee Joe Williams sooner rather than later, the latest conclusion has Hyde starting off as the No. 1 tailback to open the season.
It’s a prove-it year on a number of different levels.
Meanwhile, the Niners have a versatile weapon in fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Juszczyk figures to be more than just a lead blocker, which is why San Francisco gave him a lucrative deal this offseason. He’ll act as a receiving weapon, an H-back of sorts, in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.