Who Should I Start? Patrick Taylor Jr. or JaMycal Hasty

Wednesday, August 20, 9:56 AM

The San Francisco 49ers have placed veteran running back Patrick Taylor Jr. (shoulder) on the season-ending injured reserve list. Taylor suffered a dislocated shoulder in the team's second preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, and he joins the growing list of 49ers running backs struck by injury. While presumed backup Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) was able to return to practice on Tuesday after missing several weeks with a shoulder injury of his own, the team has already lost Ameer Abdullah (ribs) for the season. Rookie Jordan James has already missed a few weeks due to a broken finger. After trading Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings, the 49ers' running back depth has been seriously tested already, which is the last thing the team needs in their efforts to keep All-Pro Christian McCaffrey healthy. Jeff Wilson Jr. and Ke'Shawn Vaughn will likely see the majority of work in the team's final preseason game. If he can remain healthy, McCaffrey once more enters the year as perhaps the biggest difference maker in fantasy football. Still, given his checkered injury history, Guerendo is one of the league's most important backups to roster.

Thursday, August 21, 11:16 PM

New England Patriots running back JaMycal Hasty rushed for 30 yards on 11 carries during Thursday's preseason finale against the New York Giants. He also converted his lone target into a nine-yard reception. With the preseason wrapping up, New England played most of its depth players against the Giants. Their gameday roster included Hasty, who is the lone Patriots running back whose status still appears to be up in the air. TreVeyon Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Antonio Gibson are virtually locks to make the team, but if the Patriots opt to keep a fourth running back, that job would likely go to Hasty. The veteran running back clearly has the attention of New England's front office, which claimed him off waivers in 2023, kept him around in 2024, and re-signed him to the roster just a few weeks ago. Even if he does make the team, Hasty's limited role would keep him off the fantasy radar.