49ers rookie player grades from Week 16 loss to Bears

There have been enough injuries to the 49ers running backs, including another ankle issue for No. 1 tailback Matt Breida, to allow undrafted rookie Jeff Wilson to get into the mix on a regular basis.

Breida exited the game after just four carries, meaning Wilson was again going to get the bulk of work on the ground for Kyle Shanahan. The problem, though, was Wilson didn’t exactly have the kind of desired success.

In total, Wilson rushed 11 times for just 27 yards — a mere 2.5 yards per attempt. Granted, it wasn’t going to be easy against a Chicago defense now ranking fifth best in the NFL by allowing just 3.8 yards per carry.

But still.

Wilson’s lack of impact on the ground forced the Niners to rely heavily on the passing attack, which included 38 attempts through the air instead of a run-heavy offense attempting to wear down an elite defense.