49ers vs Cowboys: Top 5 performances from preseason Week 1

Cowboys vs 49ers: 5 top performances from preseason Week 1

SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 10: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 and head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers talk with each other during pregame warm ups prior to the start of an NFL preseason football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on August 10, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

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HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 03: Austin Walter #2 of the Rice Owls rushes with the ball in the first quarter against the UTEP Miners on November 3, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

No. 5: RB Austin Walter

Even though his raw numbers don’t leap off the page at you (13 carries for 38 yards and 5 receptions for 32 yards), former Rice running back Austin Walter looked pretty comfortable with the ball in his hands.

He showed good speed and quickness, along with strong hands and sneaky change-of-direction skills. The 49ers’ running game overall wasn’t spectacular, amassing just 88 yards on 25 carries, but a lot of that could be chalked up to the Niners’ decision to rest all starters on the offensive line.

The eye test, however, suggests that Walter will have the coaching staff talking about him after yesterday’s performance, especially in light of the recent flare up of Jerick McKinnon‘s knee injury. It’s possible, particularly if McKinnon is out for an extended period of time, that the 49ers could be looking to add another running back to the team’s final roster.

So far, Walter has shown himself to be a capable option off the bench, demonstrating ability as both a runner and a pass-catcher, which will at least get him an extended look moving forward.