Isaac Guerendo

Guerendo suffered hamstring tears in consecutive college seasons, a Lisfranc injury, and during his 2024 rookie campaign dealt with hamstring, groin, foot, MCL sprain, and ankle sprain injuries. A shoulder injury in 2025 training camp further derailed any momentum to compete for snaps.

Guerendo received zero offensive snaps and zero carries in the entire 2025 season despite averaging 5.0 YPC in 2024, relegated to special teams duty only. The 49ers' acquisition of Brian Robinson Jr. in August 2025 clearly signaled the team does not view Guerendo as part of their offensive plans.

Multiple sources confirm the 49ers do not view Guerendo as part of their long-term offensive vision despite two years remaining on his rookie contract. Jordan James (a 2025 fifth-round rookie) was elevated over Guerendo as the third back late in the 2025 season.

Guerendo is RB4 at best on San Francisco's 2026 depth chart — behind McCaffrey, Jordan James, and newly drafted Kaelon Black — after logging zero offensive snaps in all of 2025. Special teams is his only path to the 53-man roster, and Shanahan has given no indication that changes.

Shanahan completely iced Guerendo out of the offense in 2025 despite him being listed as healthy all season. This is an unambiguous signal — not an injury situation, not a scheme rotation — Shanahan simply does not trust him in the system.

The 49ers used a 3rd-round pick on Kaelon Black in 2026 rather than promoting Guerendo when Brian Robinson departed. San Francisco has explicitly chosen a rookie over their incumbent developmental back, effectively ending Guerendo's path to fantasy relevance in this offense.

If SF commits to a three-down role given recent injuries/departures, Guerendo has standalone RB1/2 upside with significant touches and goal-line opportunities in a high-octane offense.

McCaffrey only played three games in 2020, seven games in 2021 and four games in 2024. If McCaffrey suffers an injury, Guerendo can expect to play 60-75% of the 49ers' offensive snaps, being limited on third downs and running around 15 times per game.

SF's aggressive run scheme under Shanahan in postseason play could elevate Guerendo's value if he earns the primary back role during crucial fantasy weeks.

Christian McCaffrey has a concerning injury history (only 3 games in 2020, 7 in 2021, 4 in 2024) and suffered multiple in-season issues in 2025 including a stinger. If McCaffrey and Robinson both go down, Guerendo could theoretically see opportunity, though Jordan James would likely get first crack.

With two years left on his rookie contract at a low cap number, Guerendo is a viable cut or trade candidate. A move to a thin backfield — even a middling offense — would immediately unlock dynasty relevance that the 49ers' logjam denies him.

A multi-player injury scenario (McCaffrey + James + Black) would force Guerendo into action in one of the NFL's most RB-friendly offenses, but this requires catastrophic depth attrition and Shanahan would need to trust him — a trust that has been entirely absent for 12+ months.