SF 49ers: 4 biggest problems offense must fix vs. Cowboys
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: SF 49ers must feed Kyle Juszczyk more
It’s befuddling why San Francisco hasn’t found a way to use the best fullback in the game, Kyle Juszczyk, on a more consistent basis outside of his well-known attributes in lead-blocking.
Case in point, Juszczyk has touched the ball just 28 times this season. That number is just two more than the touches Tevin Coleman has received over just five games and zero touches in Week 14 despite being active.
Juszczyk might not be a prolific rusher. But as a mismatch weapon in the receiving game, there are almost always opportunities on every drive for him to be a wide-open target. And it’s worked when he’s been targeted, too, as Juszczyk’s 7.4 yards-per-target average is just a shade behind wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (7.8) and above that of tight end Jordan Reed (5.5).
The decline of fullback usage in recent years has led to many a team struggling to defend against this position, especially when the player is a pretty prolific pass-catcher in his own right.
When Dallas is putting players in zone coverage, Juszczyk attacking the flats and seams could easily open up the possibility for chunk plays with no one around him.