49ers vs. Chiefs: 5 fringe players who impressed most in preseason loss

49ers Fringe Player No. 2: Running Back JaMycal Hasty

The Niners’ running back room is awfully crowded, and that was made more than apparent even with Raheem Mostert resting and rookie tailback Elijah Mitchell dealing with a sudden injury that might keep him out until the start of the regular season, at the very least.

Good news for second-year pro JaMycal Hasty, who entered 2021 on the roster bubble despite having his share of impressive moments last season and during training camp.

True, Hasty fumbled once during the game, and that won’t go over well with Shanahan. But in terms of offensive contributions, Hasty ended up leading all San Francisco rushers with 63 yards on 10 carries, also scoring the team’s second touchdown of the night.

If there’s a way to make up for the turnover, getting into the end zone has to be it.

Mitchell’s injury potentially opens up the door for Hasty to hang around a little while longer, even though the scatback might not be able to climb up any higher than the fourth spot on the regular-season depth chart.

And while preseason rushing stars don’t necessarily wind up assuming the same kind of roles when Week 1 rolls around, at least Hasty made the most of his opportunities despite his fumbling mistake.