Isaac Guerendo Fantasy Overview

2024 Summary

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Guerendo got three games of starter-level duty as a rookie. He finished those weeks ranked 10th, 35th, and second among PPR backs.

He averaged 15 carries, 73.3 yards, and 1.3 TDs across those three contests.

Usage & Role

Guerendo didn’t see much work beyond those games. He reached 10 carries in one other contest but logged just 29 total carries outside of those four weeks.

Guerenedo caught more passes than Jordan Mason last season and beat him 10.1 to 8.3 in yards per catch. The rookie narrowly trailed in yards per rush – 5.0 to 5.2 – but likely stands as at least part of the reason San Francisco felt comfy trading Mason to the Vikings.

2025 Expectations

Projected Role & Competition

Guerendo looks like the best bet to open the season as San Francisco’s No. 2 back. The Niners traded Mason and allowed Elijah Mitchell to walk in free agency.

But the second-year back faces competition from fifth-round rookie Jordan James, veteran Patrick Taylor Jr. – who re-signed on a one-year deal this offseason – Israel Abanikanda, and undrafted free agent Corey Kiner.

Guerendo’s bigger than James – by 13 pounds and 3 inches – and rocked a 4.33-second 40 time vs. James’ 4.55. But James comes off a more effective college career that saw him siphon some work from Bucky Irving at Oregon in 2023 and then take over the 2024 backfield.

James tallied a 233-1,267-15 rushing line and 26-209 receiving in his final season with the Ducks. Guerendo never controlled a college backfield, despite his elite size-speed combo.

Guerendo also trailed Mason and Taylor last year in PFF rushing grade and yards after contact per attempt. He also trailed Taylor but led Mason (and Christian McCaffrey) in Pro Football Reference’s rushing success rate.

Supporting Cast

The 49ers backup job(s) gain focus because of McCaffrey missing nearly all of last season with multiple lower-body issues. But this situation holds no value for any non-McCaffrey RB as long as the starter is healthy.

Mitchell and Mason logged just 75 and 40 carries, respectively, in 2023 – and that came with McCaffrey sitting out the season’s final game.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

We could see some rise in rushing rate for this year’s 49ers. Last year’s group passed on 55.5% of offensive plays, and that doesn’t even include dropbacks that turned into Brock Purdy scrambles (which he did far more often than in 2023).

That was San Francisco’s highest pass rate since 2020. It’s no coincidence that 2024 and 2020 were losing seasons for the 49ers (6-11 last year; 6-10 in 2020), sandwiching three playoff campaigns.

If the Niners struggle to rebound this year, then we could again see rushing volume stay down. But any team improvement – especially when paired with McCaffrey’s return – could increase the carry pool.