Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Way-too-early 53-man roster projections for 2019

By Robert Morrison

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Members of the San Francisco 49ers line up in the tunnel to take the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Members of the San Francisco 49ers line up in the tunnel to take the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 10
Next
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 16: Matt Breida #22 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes with the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 16: Matt Breida #22 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes with the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Running Back (5): Jerick McKinnon, Matt Breida, Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, Kyle Juszczyk

This is an awful lot of running backs to have on a roster in 2019.

But given the amount of money wrapped up in this position (the team will spend just shy of $18 million on these five players, according to Over The Cap), it feels likely at least four of them — Jerick McKinnon, Matt Breida, Tevin Coleman and Kyle Juszczyk — are locks.

With Raheem Mostert being the only one who provides non-kick-returning special teams help, the numbers are tricky, especially when it comes to the game day roster, although head coach Kyle Shanahan is already on record saying, while he’s never dressed four running backs, it’s not out of the question this year.

Remember, depth is key for a position which often suffers plenty of attrition during the regular season and already has an injury history coming into 2019.