In the preseason opener, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Carlos Hyde didn't get a huge workload by any stretch of the imagination, but fans still came out of that game thinking he looked great. On Sunday, the 49ers took on the Denver Broncos in the team's second preseason game, and Hyde's performance wasn't quite as good.
Carlos Hyde won’t be a recommended fantasy option until he takes carries from Frank Gore
Carlos Hyde is an intriguing young running back, but he’s not yet an intriguing young fantasy option. We break down the fantasy implications.
Rob Carr
Hyde wasn't terrible or anything along those lines, but his four carries took him just 11 yards, which comes to 2.8 yards per carry. With Kendall Hunter out for the season and LaMichael James nursing an elbow injury, Hyde's importance rose pretty fast this summer. It was good to see him look explosive in the preseason opener, so anything less is a little disappointing.
He did manage to catch the one pass thrown his way, good for nine yards.
Fantasy Impact: Hyde may be a solid fantasy option this season, but only if he convinces the 49ers that he deserves to take some carries away from Frank Gore. That's one of the hardest things to do in the NFL, so Hyde has his work cut out for him. Before the second-round pick becomes a recommended fantasy play, we have to see more of that in the preseason, particularly in the team's upcoming third game.
