Who Should I Start? Kyle Juszczyk or Damien Martinez

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.

Friday, August 8, 8:50 AM

Seattle Seahawks running back Damien Martinez made his preseason debut on Thursday against the Raiders, but he worked well behind George Holani, who seems to have the early lead in the competition for the third running back spot in Seattle. Martinez ran for just 10 yards on his six carries and caught both his targets for 15 more yards. He added 25 yards on two kickoff returns as well. The seventh-round pick out of Miami has stepped up in pass coverage and as a receiver, which was a question mark for him coming into the draft. However, Holani seems to be firmly ahead of him on the depth chart. Martinez will look to make more of an impact and earn a roster spot in the next two weeks as the Seahawks face the Chiefs and Packers in their other two preseason contests.