Report: 49ers officially down to 5th-string running back going into matchup vs. Dolphins

The San Francisco 49ers’ depth at the all-important running back position has been decimated by injuries this season. One of the better running backs in the NFL — Christian McCaffrey — along with the likes of Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell are all down with long-term or season-ending injuries.

Now, another player at the position will miss the team’s bout against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Running back Isaac Guerendo will be sidelined.

The 49ers are now dealing with severely limited options at the running back position in light of Guerendo going down with his injury.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn is a member of the practice squad and has appeared in just two games for San Francisco this season. Israel Abanikanda has appeared in just six NFL regular-season games ever since he was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Patrick Taylor, meanwhile, has totaled only 50 rushing yards this season. He could play a big role Sunday.

Guerendo, who’s out, had two of his better offensive showings of the season over San Francisco’s last pair of games.

In the 49ers’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 12, he finished with 57 rushing yards on 16 attempts. Rewind a few days earlier to the team’s 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 8, and Guerendo was highly impactful both as a rusher and receiver. He racked up 78 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns and also totaled 50 receiving yards on two receptions.

It’s unclear how the 49ers will approach their rushing attack on Sunday, but the Dolphins should maybe feel optimistic about their chances of winning in light of the news. Miami has no choice but to beat the 49ers if it wants to keep its playoff hopes alive, as the Dolphins are below the .500 mark with a record of 6-8 with three games remaining on their 17-game schedule.

After the game against the 49ers, the Dolphins will wrap up with matchups against the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets.