The 49ers' running back room has been decimated by injuries this season, and Isaac Guerendo is only the latest setback.
Attrition has hit the San Francisco 49ers hard in 2024, but no other position has suffered more than running back.
Kicking off with All-Pro Christian McCaffrey dealing with tendinitis in both Achilles to start the season, which held him out of action for the first eight weeks, followed by a PCL injury only three games into his return, the Niners have dealt with all kinds of injury-related setbacks.
Not only McCaffrey, but fellow rushers like Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason have seen their 2024 campaigns either abbreviated, in Mason's case, or eliminated altogether.
All three names are on injured reserve.
With San Francisco's Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins just around the corner, even more bad injury news hit head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad with rookie rusher Isaac Guerendo likely to miss the contest because of a hamstring issue.
The fourth-round NFL Draft choice out of Louisville had been averaging 5.2 yards per carry this season, and he'd been a go-to when both McCaffrey and Mason were unavailable.
Now, the 49ers are probably going to have to turn to someone else... again.
49ers running back depth chart behind Isaac Guerendo
It's unclear whether or not the Niners will shelve Guerendo on IR to close out the season, and he's still listed on the team's unofficial depth chart, which is as follows:
- Isaac Guerendo
- Patrick Taylor Jr.
- Israel Abanikanda
Taylor was picked up as a free agent last offseason after spending his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, primarily on special teams. He did manage to see some modest action in San Francisco's Week 14 win over the Chicago Bears, carrying the ball seven times and recording a touchdown.
Abanikanda, meanwhile, was claimed off waivers after the New York Jets released him in early December, but he has yet to see any action with the 49ers since joining them.
The Niners also have veteran Ke'Shawn Vaughn on the practice squad.