49ers depth chart: Raheem Mostert injury opens up door for JaMycal Hasty

The 49ers depth chart at running back will see some shakeups with Raheem Mostert going on injured reserve, yet this means more JaMycal Hasty.

For fans who wanted to see rookie running back JaMycal Hasty climb up the 49ers depth chart, Weeks 7 through 9 might be the prime opportunity.

This, in the wake of San Francisco’s No. 1 running back, Raheem Mostert, suffering an ankle injury during his team’s 24-16 Sunday Night Football win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6.

Mostert subsequently landed on short-term injured reserve, meaning he’ll be off the 49ers depth chart for at least the next three weeks, which include games at the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks before returning home against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 9.

While head coach Kyle Shanahan is likely to shift starting duties over to Mostert’s primary backup, Jerick McKinnon, Hasty’s use should see a notable uptick.

And this should easily answer some earlier calls about Hasty being more involved in the offense.

49ers depth chart: JaMycal Hasty a better option than Tevin Coleman, Jeff Wilson

At 3-3, the 49ers are nearing the point where they’re playing the role of spoilers and looking harder at 2021 than rounding out the end of this season. Sure, the playoffs are well within reach. But a brutal six-game stretch, including the aforementioned three matchups, likely point to a record well below the much-needed .500 mark to navigate that particular stretch.

Jeff Wilson, a former undrafted free agent, will be a restricted free agent next season. Tevin Coleman, who is working his way off injured reserve with a knee injury, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next year, too. It’s hard to envision either player figuring into Shanahan’s long-term plans.

Hasty, at least early in his pro career, has primarily performed mop-up rushing duties late in games this season as a tertiary option. To date, he’s been active for four games, saw two rushes and one reception in Week 3 against the New York Giants, then impressed enough in Week 6 against the Rams. In that game, following Mostert’s halftime exit, Hasty rushed for 37 yards on nine carries for an average of 4.1 yards per attempt.

He’s looked awfully explosive in many of those rushes, too, particularly when getting into his second gear:

While it would be nice to see Hasty hit some openings with a bit more decisiveness, there’s little questioning Hasty offers a unique skill set tailored for Shanahan’s offense.

At 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, Hasty’s low center of gravity makes for a tough tackle, as do the scatback’s multi-cut abilities. He’s a reliable pass-catcher, too, registering 79 receptions for 485 yards during his four-year career at Baylor.

So, how would Hasty’s presence in Mostert’s absence be an upgrade over both Wilson and Coleman on the 49ers depth chart? Well, Wilson is surely an underrated pass-catcher, yet his explosiveness on rush plays isn’t exactly there. And despite being a prolific pass-catcher under Shanahan with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, Coleman’s receiving prowess simply hasn’t carried over to his time with San Francisco.

It also doesn’t help Coleman is averaging a mere 1.7 yards per rush this season either.

If the Niners are indeed looking at missing the playoffs this season, a player like Hasty is worth evaluating more as he ascends the 49ers depth chart.

Particularly if he can regularly showcase the impact he’s already flashed in limited use this season.