The San Francisco 49ers will face the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding RB Isaac Guerendo.
Is Isaac Guerendo Playing in Week 16?
Updated at 2:55 ET on Sunday, January 5
Guerendo is active for today's game.
Last Thursday, Guerendo was able to gut out a foot sprain on a short week, handling 100% of the 49ers running back carries. The foot is no longer an issue, but now the rookie is dealing with a hamstring issue. He did not practice all week.
The 49ers are now down to their RB5. Patrick Taylor Jr. is set to start with Ke’Shawn Vaughn somehow likely to actually see the field in the year 2024.
We’ll continue to monitor the 49ers injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Isaac Guerendo’s Fantasy Outlook
Remember all that time and energy we spent a week ago trying to get inside the head of Kyle Shanahan and the usage projection for a banged-up (foot) Isaac Guerendo?
Let’s be smarter.
Adam Schefter came out with confidence the day of the game last week and said that Guerendo was going to play. He doubled down by starting San Francisco’s RB1 in his most important fantasy league (yes, he’s one of us!).
In addition to the most plugged-in man in professional sports reassuring us, many were overlooking the obvious — this is the 49ers, and they rarely halfway use a running back.
San Francisco’s bell-cow role, percentage of RB touches:
- Weeks 1-2, Jordan Mason: 87.5%
- Weeks 10-11, Christian McCaffrey: 89.3%
- Weeks 14-15, Guerendo (minus Q4 of Week 14): 94.4%
Those aren’t “good” rates; they’re borderline psychotic in today’s game, but that’s what this team believes in. Instead of regressing their rates, as injuries suggest may be wise, the 49ers double (and triple) down.
Now, from a results standpoint, Week 15 wasn’t great. The 49ers mustered just six points, which meant that Guerendo’s 20 touches could only be somewhat impactful (75 yards).
I know it’s hard to overlook the results for the process this time of year, but no matter how your matchup played out last week, playing Guerendo against a defense that, entering the week, ranked 26th in rush EPA was the right call.
Until I have a reason to pivot, I refuse. The 49ers are struggling (their TD rate has fallen from 33.5% last season to 20.8% this year), but on an extended week with an elite workload and no obvious health setback, Guerendo is a play for me against an ordinary run defense in the weeks ahead.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 16 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Isaac Guerendo’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 16
Guerendo is projected to score 0 points in Week 16.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Cardinals' Defense
The Cardinals' defense played well enough to win on Saturday night vs. the Rams. Arizona recorded a 76.0 (C) grade, which doesn't sound like much but has typically been good enough to win for this team.
Entering Week 17, the Cardinals were 6-1 when the defense recorded a "C" grade or better. That record is 6-2 after the offense couldn't finish enough drives to put away the Rams. Arizona had one of its more well-rounded games against both the pass and run this year and ended up allowing their fifth-fewest yards per play this season (4.8).
The Cardinals took a step forward in 2024, but the end will feel like a disappointment after Arizona was the clear midseason favorite to claim the NFC West. The lack of defensive talent beyond Budda Baker was a well-known roster flaw entering the season and one that will need a serious commitment of offseason resources to fix for 2025.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Isaac Guerendo’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 7:00 AM ET on Sunday, January 5. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Week 18 Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 18 RB PPR Rankings
1) Bijan Robinson | ATL (vs. CAR)
2) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (vs. MIN)
3) Derrick Henry | BAL (vs. CLE)
4) Jonathan Taylor | IND (vs. JAX)
5) Josh Jacobs | GB (vs. CHI)
6) Bucky Irving | TB (vs. NO)
7) Chase Brown | CIN (at PIT)
8) Aaron Jones | MIN (at DET)
9) De'Von Achane | MIA (at NYJ)
10) Zach Charbonnet | SEA (at LAR)
11) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (at DAL)
12) Breece Hall | NYJ (vs. MIA)
13) Ray Davis | BUF (at NE)
14) D'Andre Swift | CHI (at GB)
15) Rico Dowdle | DAL (vs. WAS)
16) Isaac Guerendo | SF (at ARI)
17) J.K. Dobbins | LAC (at LV)
18) Najee Harris | PIT (vs. CIN)
19) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN (vs. KC)
20) Joe Mixon | HOU (at TEN)
21) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (at PHI)
22) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. NYG)
23) Blake Corum | LAR (vs. SEA)
24) Tank Bigsby | JAX (at IND)
25) Jaylen Warren | PIT (vs. CIN)
26) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (at IND)
27) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE (vs. BUF)
28) Michael Carter | ARI (vs. SF)
29) Rachaad White | TB (vs. NO)
30) D'Onta Foreman | CLE (at BAL)
31) Kimani Vidal | LAC (at LV)
32) Miles Sanders | CAR (at ATL)
33) Tyler Allgeier | ATL (vs. CAR)
34) Audric Estimé | DEN (vs. KC)
35) Will Shipley | PHI (vs. NYG)
36) Alexander Mattison | LV (vs. LAC)
37) Antonio Gibson | NE (vs. BUF)
38) Javonte Williams | DEN (vs. KC)
39) Raheem Blackshear | CAR (at ATL)
40) Ty Johnson | BUF (at NE)
41) Devin Singletary | NYG (at PHI)
42) Cam Akers | MIN (at DET)
43) Raheem Mostert | MIA (at NYJ)
44) Roschon Johnson | CHI (at GB)
45) Craig Reynolds | DET (vs. MIN)
46) Kenny McIntosh | SEA (at LAR)
47) Jeremy McNichols | WAS (at DAL)
48) Cordarrelle Patterson | PIT (vs. CIN)
49) Braelon Allen | NYJ (vs. MIA)
50) Julius Chestnut | TEN (vs. HOU)
51) Samaje Perine | KC (at DEN)
52) Patrick Taylor Jr. | SF (at ARI)
53) Sean Tucker | TB (vs. NO)
54) Jamaal Williams | NO (at TB)
55) Isaiah Davis | NYJ (vs. MIA)
56) Chris Brooks | GB (vs. CHI)
57) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE (at BAL)
58) Clyde Edwards-Helaire | NO (at TB)
59) Emanuel Wilson | GB (vs. CHI)
60) Mike Boone | CAR (at ATL)
61) Tony Pollard | TEN (vs. HOU)
62) DeeJay Dallas | ARI (vs. SF)
63) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (at DAL)
64) Dare Ogunbowale | HOU (at TEN)
65) Rasheen Ali | BAL (vs. CLE)
66) Khalil Herbert | CIN (at PIT)
67) Trey Sermon | IND (vs. JAX)
68) Hassan Haskins | LAC (at LV)
69) Kyle Juszczyk | SF (at ARI)
70) Dameon Pierce | HOU (at TEN)
71) Jaylen Wright | MIA (at NYJ)
72) Carson Steele | KC (at DEN)
73) Sione Vaki | DET (vs. MIN)
74) Hunter Luepke | DAL (vs. WAS)
75) Tyler Goodson | IND (vs. JAX)
76) Ke'Shawn Vaughn | SF (at ARI)
77) Alec Ingold | MIA (at NYJ)
78) C.J. Ham | MIN (at DET)
79) Michael Burton | DEN (vs. KC)
80) D'Ernest Johnson | JAX (at IND)
81) Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA (at NYJ)
82) Eric Gray | NYG (at PHI)
83) Jermar Jefferson | DET (vs. MIN)
84) Patrick Ricard | BAL (vs. CLE)
85) Joshua Kelley | NYG (at PHI)
86) Ty Chandler | MIN (at DET)
87) Israel Abanikanda | SF (at ARI)
88) Adam Prentice | NO (at TB)
89) Dylan Laube | LV (vs. LAC)
90) JaMycal Hasty | NE (vs. BUF)
91) George Holani | SEA (at LAR)
92) James Cook | BUF (at NE)
49ers at Cardinals Trends and Insights
San Francisco 49ers
Team: The 49ers have lost six of their past seven games -- they lost five games during the entire 2023 regular season.
QB: In Weeks 1-16, we didn't have a single game where a QB threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a score -- Joe Burrow and Brock Purdy both did it in Week 17.
Offense: The 49ers lost on Monday night despite scoring 34 points -- they were 25-1 when scoring 34+ points in a regular season game over the past decade prior to this setback.
Defense: San Francisco is 6-1 this season when they allow 2.0 or fewer points per drive (0-9 otherwise).
Fantasy: Entering Monday night, twice did a receiver have multiple rush attempts, 40 receiving yards, and a touchdown catch in the first half of a game this season -- Ricky Pearsall and Jameson Williams both did it in Week 17.
Betting: Since the beginning of 2021, the 49ers are 7-3-1 ATS in road divisional games and overs are 9-2 across those spots.
Arizona Cardinals
Team: Since 2022, the best point differential for a team with double-digit losses in a season is -15. The 7-9 Cardinals have been outscored by two points this year.
QB: Kyler Murray is averaging a career-low 5.9 yards per blitzed pass attempt this season. His career rate is 7.1, highlighted by an 8.9 average a season ago.
Offense: Saturday was the ninth time this season in which Arizona had at least as many FGM as offensive TDs scored (they’ve done it in three straight).
Defense: The Cardinals have allowed a touchdown on just 50.9% of opponent red zone trips this season, pacing for their best season since 2014.
Fantasy: On Saturday, Trey McBride recorded his third game with 12+ catches in a game this season – he’s the first tight end ever to do that and just the 11th player to do so. A fourth game would tie him atop the all-time list for such games in a single season with Cris Carter (1995) and CeeDee Lamb (2023).
Betting: Arizona is just 1-5 ATS in their past six games played on extended rest.