No. 1: Tevin Coleman
It was a tough decision deciding between Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon for the No. 1 position. While Breida was always going to be my No. 2, this choice was one I had to put some thought into. In the end, what it all came down to was the sheer unknown with McKinnon and how he will bounce back from his injury.
Shanahan and Coleman have history together from Shanahan’s time in Atlanta as offensive coordinator. He knows what Coleman is capable of and how to utilize him to the best of his potential. Playing in all 16 games during his 2018 season also helped him lock down the starter role. There is also no concern regarding playing ability after being sidelined for one year like McKinnon.
Coleman finished up 2018 with 167 carries for 800 rushing yards, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt and four touchdowns. He had 32 receptions for 276 receiving yards, averaging 8.6 yards per reception and five touchdowns.
Tevin Coleman’s four rushing touchdowns last season would have led the #49ers. His five receiving TDs would have matched George Kittle and Dante Pettis for the most on SF.
— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) March 13, 2019
Unless there’s any surprise cuts, we’ll likely have to wait until the start of the regular season to see how Shanahan’s actual depth chart plays out. However, as it stands, this is my prediction for the coming year.