When the injury bug bites the 49ers, it takes a good chunk.
Ravaged by injuries all season, San Francisco didn’t hire a good exterminator before the 2024 campaign, losing key contributors at seemingly every turn this year. The running back room has been hit especially hard, headlined by injuries to Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell.
Putting the “next man up mentality” to the test, the 49ers are a couple more running back issues away from picking fans out of the stands to suit up.
That was until Isaac Guerendo showed up. The rookie fourth-round pick in 2024 stepped into action on Sunday in Week 14, dominating the Bears to the tune of 128 total yards and two touchdowns. However, he exited and did not return, clouding his status for Thursday night.
After a few days of uncertainty, anyone worrying about the running back’s status can breathe a sigh of relief.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Here is the latest on Guerendo’s status for Week 15’s “Thursday Night Football.”
Isaac Guerendo injury update
Guerendo plans to play against the Rams on Thursday night, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
He left Sunday’s win with what head coach Kyle Shanahan called a possible foot sprain. Guerendo didn’t seem too concerned about his availability for “Thursday Night Football,” saying, via NBC Sports Bay Area, after the game that the team was just being cautious.
It’s not hard to see the argument for a little extra rest and recovery for Guerendo, considering he exited in the fourth quarter when San Francisco held a 31-13 lead with just under 11 minutes to go. No one will blame the 49ers for being more cautious given their unfortunate luck in 2024.
Regardless, it felt like an uphill battle all week for Guerendo to play in what’s been a quick turnaround after just playing on Sunday. He was listed as a DNP on Monday and Tuesday before being limited during Wednesday’s walkthrough practice.
Guerendo has been given the chance to lead San Francisco’s running back room, which the rookie fourth-round pick did quite well in Week 14, totaling 15 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns in addition to two catches for 50 yards.
49ers RB depth chart
If Guerendo is forced out of action on Thursday or suffers a setback that makes him a late inactive, the 49ers would likely turn to Taylor, whom the team signed during the offseason.
Shanahan’s system is often plug-and-play regarding running backs, as the position always seems to find success in his scheme. Whether it’s Taylor, Vaughn or Abanikanda, expect the 49ers backfield to find success on Thursday night.
DO YOU LIKE FOOTBALL? Then you’ll enjoy getting our NFL newsletter delivered to your inbox
