Predicting 49ers 53-man roster just before final roster cuts

Running backs (5): Matt Breida*, Tevin Coleman*, Raheem Mostert*, Jeff Wilson, Jr., Kyle Juszczyk* (Yearlong IR: Jerick McKinnon)

While Shanahan’s comments about the quarterbacks is pretty clear, what he said about the running back situation in that same press conference leaves things a little open to interpretation.

“We’re not going to keep five halfbacks,” is what Shanahan noted after the 49ers loss in their preseason finale to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Halfbacks seems pretty specific in this case, but it’s also possible that because of the head coach’s insistence on keeping three quarterbacks, he has to sacrifice elsewhere, which could mean that the running back room, including fullback Kyle Juszczyk, is only four players strong heading into Week 1.

But I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that former undrafted free agent Jeff Wilson, Jr has done enough to make the roster, and that Jerick McKinnon will be placed on IR before the season, ending his campaign before it starts for the second straight year.

At least initially, however, the overload of running backs will mean that Wilson will be a healthy scratch more often than not, with Raheem Mostert being the only one of the group other than Juszczyk who provides anything significant on special teams.