Meet the running back likely to be 49ers' fourth different starter of 2024

The San Francisco 49ers have had very poor injury luck this season. It seems very likely that San Francisco will start its fourth different running back in 2024, so let's learn a little bit more about Patrick Taylor Jr.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan until hours before San Francisco's Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets. Christian McCaffrey had been held out of training camp and the preseason as a supposed precaution as he dealt with a calf injury. It seemed likely that he would be ready to go by Week 1.

Until he wasn't.

McCaffrey did not suit up for the Niners until Week 9. In his stead, Jordan Mason filled in very nicely. He was one of the top rushers in the NFL over the course of the first eight weeks.

McCaffrey came back at midseason, but he never looked quite like his old self. It seemed clear that he was not at 100 percent and was trying to be there for the team. Ultimately, he ended up going down with a PCL injury against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13 that landed him on injured reserve for the second time in 2024.

Unfortunately, Mason also went down with an ankle injury against Buffalo and was placed on IR.

That meant it was time for rookie Isaac Guerendo to shine in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears. Shine he did, rushing the ball for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Yet, since the 49ers are cursed, Guerendo left the game with a foot injury.

Guerendo has not been able to practice yet this week ahead of San Francisco's Thursday night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. With it being a short week, it seems exceedingly unlikely that Guerendo will be good to go in Week 15.

In comes Patrick Taylor Jr.

The Niners signed him as a depth piece in the offseason, probably never daring to think he would start a game for them. Yet, that is where things are at.

Taylor is in his fourth NFL season. He spent the first three with the Green Bay Packers where he rushed the ball 65 times for 261 yards and one touchdown. He also caught 14 passes for 54 yards. Thus far in 2024 with the Niners, he has rushed the ball 14 times for 50 yards and one touchdown which he scored against Chicago filling in for the injured Guerendo.

The Memphis product had a solid collegiate career. His best season came as a junior when he rushed for 1,122 yards and 16 touchdowns.

He would not be the first undrafted free agent to find success as a running back on the Niners. Matt Breida is another back who was not taken in the draft but ended up being a solid rusher with great speed for San Francisco.

Taylor does not possess that same speed, but in his brief carries for San Francisco, he has looked like a competent rusher. Head coach Kyle Shanahan probably just wants the tailback to hold onto the football and not do anything too crazy.

Yet, both Mason and Guerendo went off in their first career starts this season, so it is not out of the realm of possibility for Taylor to have a similar debut if he is the starter in Week 15.

With the way things have gone for San Francisco at running back this season, most fans are probably just hoping he does not get injured.

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