Who Should I Start? Kyle Juszczyk or Brashard Smith

Saturday, August 2, 3:58 PM

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (undisclosed) and running back Isaac Guerendo (shoulder/arm) both left the team's Saturday practice early, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Wagoner writes that Juszczyk was "moving slowly." The 34-year-old is a key piece as a blocker and a receiver in the 49ers' offense, having racked up 2,901 yards from scrimmage over the course of his 12-year career. Juszczyk is uniquely versatile as a player, so there's not a clear replacement for him on San Francisco's roster if he were to miss time. Guerendo is expected to be the primary backup to star 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. In 16 games as a rookie in 2024, Guerendo recorded 84 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns. It's unclear how much time (if any) Guerendo will miss, but he now joins fifth-round rookie Jordan James (knee) as 49ers backs dealing with injuries. The team signed veteran rusher Ameer Abdullah on Thursday to bolster its depth at the position. If healthy, Guerendo is a premium handcuff option for fantasy.

Thursday, August 7, 8:16 PM

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Brashard Smith (finger) suffered a finger injury in training camp practice on Thursday and left early, according to Chiefs beat writer Matt McMullen. It is unknown if Smith's injury is serious, but it could keep him from taking part in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals. If the 22-year-old is healthy going into his first NFL season, he figures to be the RB4, at best, for the Chiefs, behind Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Elijah Mitchell. The SMU product is a converted receiver that can be ignored in all redraft fantasy formats this fall. In his first year in the NFL, the speedy pass-catching back will most likely make his biggest impact on special teams, potentially as a kick returner.