49ers roster: 4 young players who need more snaps vs. Rams
By Peter Panacy
49ers Young Player No. 2: Running Back Trey Sermon
In Kyle Shanahan’s proverbial doghouse to start the season, then back in it after a brief stint as a starter when fellow rookie running back Elijah Mitchell was dealing with a shoulder injury, third-round first-year running back Trey Sermon‘s use this season has been quite the anomaly.
Particularly when considering he was a healthy scratch in Week 9, effectively making him the No. 4 option on the depth chart behind Mitchell, JaMycal Hasty and the recently returned Jeff Wilson Jr.
Wilson, who might still not be 100 percent, is a free agent next year. Hasty, a likable player with dual-threat capabilities, is a quality gadget weapon and change-of-pace back.
Read More: Trey Sermon has reverted back to being an afterthought
Sermon, the biggest investment out of all four, should at least be seeing a decent number of carries to spell the starter, Mitchell, and to provide some added thump against a very physical Rams defensive front.
San Francisco has been hesitant to field its rookies this season, and perhaps no other first-year pro has epitomized that reluctance more than Sermon, who has flashed moments of promise when given the chance.
Unfortunately, those have been far too few, and it’s something the 49ers must look to change in Week 10.