On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo will try to play tonight against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Immediately, fantasy managers expressed concern over Guerendo’s usage and whether they can trust the rookie running back. Let’s examine whether you should start Guerendo tonight.
Isaac Guerendo’s Fantasy Outlook
On Sunday, Guerendo became the first player in the NFL this season with a rushing touchdown and 50 receiving yards in a first quarter — not bad for his first week at the controls of Kyle Shanahan’s backfield.
Late in last week’s game, Guerendo suffered a sprained foot, but he’s going to tough it out and play tonight against the Rams after sitting out of practice to open Week 15.
With the fantasy football playoffs starting tonight:
49ers rookie RB Isaac Guerendo plans to play Thursday night vs. the Rams despite his sprained foot that has left him being listed as questionable, per sources. Guerendo insists he “feels good.” pic.twitter.com/WClJ52lva3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 12, 2024
Regardless of who starts in the backfield, we have yet to see the 49ers’ run game struggle. Kyle’s father, Mike, famously turned unheralded backs into terrific rushers throughout his coaching career while using a similar system.
With Guerendo playing, he will be a solid RB2 in my rankings. It’s possible Patrick Taylor Jr. will see more work than he did last week (seven carries, 25 yards, and a touchdown), but Guerendo has shown that he doesn’t need a ton of touches to put up fantasy points.
The Rams are the fifth-worst rushing defense by yards allowed per game and third-down conversion rate on the ground. The 49ers should have success when they hand the ball off, and it helps that Guerendo’s main competition is Taylor and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who don’t exactly strike fear in the hearts of fantasy managers.
Keep an eye on the pregame reporting to make sure Guerendo isn’t a surprise scratch or poised to play a super limited role. Assuming nothing like that comes out, you should insert Guerendo into your lineup with confidence, as he has produced every time he’s been handed the reins.
In the two games when Guerendo has played more than 50% of the snaps, he has finished as an RB1. In Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys, he was the RB10 and turned 18 opportunities into 19.2 fantasy points. In Week 14 against the Chicago Bears, he was the RB2 and turned 17 opportunities into 26.8 fantasy points.
Who Is Guerendo?
Guerendo was selected in the fourth round (No. 129 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft. The rookie entered the season as the fourth option on the 49ers’ depth chart, so he has seen more touches than originally anticipated.
Guerendo is best known for his blazing 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which led all running backs. He also posted a 41.5-inch vertical jump, which again ranked first at his position. That performance at the NFL Combine helped convince the Niners to take him in the fourth round.
The 6’0″, 220-pounder racked up 1,392 career rushing yards and 17 touchdowns throughout his collegiate career, which included stints at Wisconsin. Initially, he was a wide receiver, but he made the transition to running back.
This season, the 24-year-old has rushed 57 times for 324 yards and four touchdowns while adding seven catches for 69 yards.