49ers roster: Predicting 3 backups who see most field time in 2021
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers attempted to reinforce their depth a lot this offseason, and these three backups could end up seeing substantial playing time in 2021.
Last season, the San Francisco 49ers were given a painful lesson (quite literally) on the importance of having quality depth.
No other team suffered more injuries than the Niners in 2020, and that’s not just a hyperbolic statement. According to Football Outsiders, San Francisco had an adjusted-games lost total of 166.6, which was far and away the highest out of all 32 teams.
Putting things into context, the Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an AGL of 30.6.
The 49ers’ injury woes were no secret. And it forced a number of backups who weren’t necessarily intended to fill full-time roles. So the resulting 6-10 finish shouldn’t come as too big a surprise.
Heading into 2021, the hope is for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. to buck the recent trend of so many injuries. In fact, last year’s attrition convinced Shanahan and general manager John Lynch they had to alter their approach, focusing more on players with better durability.
All that said, the Niners are still going to have to rely on their reserves, meaning a number of backups could end up seeing substantial field time this season either because of injuries, poor performance or favorable situations.
San Francisco’s deep stable of running backs could factor in here. But because Shanahan often uses a rotation at this position, it’s not exactly fair to consider prime backups as purely “reserve” players.
Instead, let’s identify three other backups who could end up seeing a significant number of offensive or defensive snaps this season and, more importantly, why.