49ers depth chart: Predicting each running back’s role in 2022

49ers running back room: Reserves (Jeff Wilson Jr., Trey Sermon)

Getting into the meat of San Francisco’s projected running back depth chart for the regular season, history suggests Kyle Shanahan would be wise to ensure he has four tailbacks ready to go in light of the numerous injuries he’s dealt with at the position in recent years.

Neither Jeff Wilson nor Trey Sermon project as starters for 2022, yet both could be vital as reserve options in case the 49ers suffer an elongated injury to one of the two other names who make the cut.

The Niners likely trust Wilson more, particularly in the shadow of his team-high 600 rush yards and 10 touchdowns in 2020, which suggests he can be a de facto starter if the offense winds up suffering the kind of injury attrition it endured that particular year.

Sermon, on the other hand, is coming off a disappointing rookie campaign where he managed a mere 167 yards and ultimately found himself buried on the depth chart behind Wilson and Elijah Mitchell.

For a third-round pick, though, it’s probably far too premature to assume Sermon’s roster spot is in danger. However, it doesn’t appear as if Sermon will usurp Wilson on the depth chart, meaning the former Ohio State product likely doesn’t see too much of the field in year two unless injuries pile up.