SF 49ers: Predicting Week 1 depth chart after final roster cuts

SF 49ers Running Backs

Halfback: Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, Jerick McKinnon, Jeff Wilson

Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk

Perhaps no other position matters less when determining a pecking order than running back, especially in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Shanahan will go with the hot hand. Last year down the stretch, the hot hand was running back Raheem Mostert, who led the team with 772 regular-season rushing yards and 10 all-purpose touchdowns.

Early in games, however, Shanahan would deploy the veteran, Tevin Coleman, to test out opponents’ defensive alignments to determine weaknesses. This might mean Coleman starts games, technically, but one would expect Mostert’s action to ramp up in the second half of games.

Meanwhile, the return of running back Jerick McKinnon from a two-year injury absence is exciting enough. He appears to be fully healthy, adding a true X-factor to San Francisco’s backfield. It’s possible Shanahan deploys McKinnon as a third-down pass-catcher out of the backfield, and McKinnon’s own rushing prowess shouldn’t be understated either.

Considering the 49ers owned the No. 2 rush offense in the NFL last season, it’s expected all three of the team’s main halfbacks should see plenty of carries this season.

No. 4 runner Jeff Wilson managed to beat out the undrafted rookie, JaMycal Hasty, for the final spot on the depth chart. Wilson’s abilities as a short-area back and as a receiving threat are underrated, so he’ll be used situationally, too.