Who Should I Start? Patrick Taylor Jr. or Sione Vaki

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.

Sunday, August 17, 10:00 AM

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki rushed for 30 yards on five carries in his 2025 preseason debut against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday. Vaki has been dealing with a lingering hamstring injury throughout training camp, but he returned to practice in full earlier this week. The second-year back is "showing good vision and wiggle," according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. A fourth-round pick out of Utah in 2024, Vaki is competing with veteran Craig Reynolds for the RB3 job in Detroit behind Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Vaki is still new to the running back position after playing mostly as a safety in college, so his development could take longer than the average young player. With Gibbs and Montgomery ahead of him on the depth chart, Vaki is highly unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025.