Sermon starts, 3 RBs in on 1st drive

The 49ers started RB Trey Sermon in the backfield in Saturday's 2nd preseason game against the Vikings, but 2 other RBs also saw touches on the team's 1st drive. San Francisco sat Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson Jr., along with QB Trey Lance and some other starters. Sermon led the RBs who did play, but JaMycal Hasty and Tyrion Davis-Price joined him for 1 carry apiece amid the team's 4-play 1st drive. Sermon was the only RB to garner touches over the next 2 drives and finished the 1st half with 5 carries and 2 targets. vs. 2 total opportunities for each of his teammates. None generated much yardage in that span. Even if Sermon enters the season ahead of Davis-Price and Hasty on the depth chart, he might still sit 3rd behind Mitchell and Wilson in touch distribution. The primary takeaway here should probably be that this remains a crowded backfield.