49ers’ 2019 ‘Who Is?’ series: Fullback Kyle Juszczyk

Niner Noise’s 2019 “Who Is?” series looks at one of the San Francisco 49ers’ Pro Bowlers the last two years, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, and his role and impact this season.

If fullbacks are a dying breed in today’s NFL, someone forgot to tell the San Francisco 49ers‘ Kyle Juszczyk, who earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod after 2018 and second with the Niners after joining as a prized free agent in 2017.

Granted, there wasn’t a lot of competition for Juszczyk in the Pro Bowl discussion. But it doesn’t change the fact he has emerged as a key cog in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Juszczyk, 28 years old, set a career high with 324 receiving yards last season, but that wasn’t the only way he impacted the offense.

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When San Francisco deploys run-heavy formations, Juszczyk’s role as a lead blocker is essential. While many head coaches elect not to use a roster spot on a fullback, Shanahan’s run-first mantra has made Juszczyk a valuable tool.

Him being a reliable pass catcher only serves to strengthen his role going forward.

Is it possible 2019 winds up being even more impressive, though? Niner Noise’s “Who Is?” series takes a look at what could be different this season.

Why Kyle Juszczyk Improves in 2019

The 49ers reinforced their offense a lot during the offseason, highlighted by the pickups of running back Tevin Coleman and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. A healthy return of running back Jerick McKinnon — an excellent pass blocker in his own right — from his 2018 ACL tear could also serve to take the pressure of Juszczyk in this role, freeing him up to serve as more of a pass-catching weapon.

San Francisco appears to be installing something of a “positionless” offense, as Niners Wire’s Kyle Madson pointed out. And it’s a shift, which should greatly increase Juszczyk’s role as an offensive weapon, not just as a blocker.

Why Kyle Juszczyk Regresses

Juszczyk has gone through some ball-security issues the past two seasons, having four with the 49ers between 2017 and 2018. So that’s something to watch.

Additionally, his Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade dropped nearly 15 points between those two years, too. Although Juszczyk did see a significant uptick in his PFF pass-protection grade, the Niners would ideally like to see the fullback out as a receiving option instead of protecting the pocket.

Either way, it’s something to watch. And like the fumbles, Juszczyk’s run blocking could be something which takes a bit of a hit in 2019.

Projected Role with the 49ers in 2019

Juszczyk will still see plenty of the field this season, staying in line with the roughly 60 percent of offensive snaps he saw last year.

The role, however, could change a bit. The 49ers will hope their offensive line showcases some improvement in pass protection in 2019, which potentially frees up Juszczyk to make more plays as a receiver. As such, it wouldn’t be a shock to see those pass-catching numbers increase.

Especially if the notion of a positionless offense rings true.

Still, Shanahan is going to emphasize the running game, which is one of the reasons why Coleman, McKinnon and third-year tailback Matt Breida remain focal points of the offense.

Therein lies the dilemma for opposing defenses. San Francisco can deploy what looks to be a run-based formation, with Juszczyk the lead blocker and one of the aforementioned halfbacks as the primary ball carrier. But all four of those running backs are versatile enough to bounce out as receivers, too, making the prospects for a very exciting and mismatch-able offense this season.

That should benefit Juszczyk a lot as well.