Who Should I Start? Kyle Juszczyk or Isaac Guerendo

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.

Sunday, August 24, 8:27 AM

San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) played at less than 100 percent during Saturday's preseason contest. Guerendo started the game, but re-aggravated his shoulder injury in the first quarter. Luckily, Guerendo was able to return to the game after getting looked at on the sideline. At the moment, all signs point to Guerendo being available for the season opener. However, his fantasy value is going to take a serious hit with Brian Robinson Jr. taking over as the RB2 in San Francisco. Guerendo probably won't see significant snaps unless someone gets hurt in the backfield.