Shanahan: Isaac Guerendo ‘plays like a starting running back’

Entering a deadly battle chicago bears This Sunday, san francisco 49ers They are looking to rookie Isaac Gerendo to succeed Christian McCaffrey, who reigns as the offensive player of the year.

After battling bilateral Achilles tendonitis for much of the season, McCaffrey made a triumphant return in Week 10 with bilateral Achilles tendonitis. tampa bay buccaneers. After three weeks, two losses, and a PCL injury, McCaffrey’s season is over.

Jordan Mason, McCaffrey’s backup and the team’s leading rusher. Also He suffered a sprained ankle in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills and was sidelined in a 35-10 loss.

in step Fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo is ready to make his first career NFL start.

49ers’ belief in Isaac Guerendo

gettyIsaac Guerendo celebrates Sunday Night Football vs. Dallas Cowboys win

When the 49ers selected Guerendo with the 129th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, his chances of playing were slim. expected role playerhe They lacked the experience to hurdle someone on the depth chart.

When he graduated from the University of Louisville as a sixth-grader, injuries limited him to 231 carries and one collegiate start. Fast forward 14 weeks and Gerendo has only 42 NFL attempts. He was active in nine of San Francisco’s 13 games, but only twice received more than five carries.

With the season in limbo, head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Greg Papa on the latest episode of “”.49ers “Game Plan”he said he expects big things from Gerendo.

“I expect him to fill in and play like a starting running back,” Shanahan said. “That’s how we look at everything on our team: You want to build players that are a little bit different and have the best package to put it all together. together. I always want the next people can Starting back. When you’re our reserve, if you’re not a player that we think can be a starting back, we usually don’t like you as a reserve. very rare Not all of these guys are playing.

The 49ers need to have faith in Guerendo, and the rookie running back wants to prove himself.

Gerendo’s prospects for new role with 49ers

getty49ers running back Isaac Guerendo vs. Dallas Cowboys

Gerendo had five runs of 10 yards or more in 2024, including a game-winning 76-yard run against Seattle. His 5.9 yards per carry is fourth-best among running backs with at least 40 carries this season.

Suffice it to say, the more Gerend played, the more he became accustomed to Shanahan’s outside zone system.

“I think that’s one of the things that’s unique to Rep,” Gelend said. “The more times you do it, the more you get a feel for it. I think the more times you do it, the more you get it. That’s what helped me and will continue to help me. Sho.”

The 49ers are averaging just under 30 rushing attempts per game, and if Gerendo can stay healthy, his career attempts should jump to 42. More importantly, he has the opportunity to solidify his position as a key contributor to the attack.

If successful, Gerendo could work on his own future role even if McCaffrey or Mason are healthy.

Sterling Bennett is a contributor for Heavy.com covering the NFL. He has five years of experience as a sports broadcaster covering the San Francisco 49ers as part of the weekly “overtime” show on 95.7 The Game, where he covered Super Bowl 58. Bennett served as network coordinator for the Golden State Warriors from 2020-2024. There, he handled all gameday radio broadcasts, including the 2022 NBA Finals. Learn more about Sterling Bennett