49ers Stock Report: Three Risers and Fallers From Preseason Week 2

Another round of roster cuts are on the way for the 49ers.

As the preseason nears its ends, the 49ers have to start filtering which players will make their cuts. The same goes for how their depth chart is shaking out as the high-level reps to determine this are running out. Against the Chargers, there were some players who raised their stock, while others saw their stock fall.

Here is the 49ers stock report of three risers and fallers from preseason Week 2.

Risers

Deommodore Lenoir

Cornerback is an area that the 49ers really need to hit on with one of their rookies. And so far, the player that looks to be promising is Deommodore Lenoir. For the second consecutive preseason game, Lenoir played soundly from start-to-finish. It is quite amazing to see how strong he is playing. It is not like he has had a magnificent training camp. It has been fairly nice, but Lenoir is definitely playing great where it counts the most. According to Pro Football Focus, the passer rating he is allowing is ZERO. Simply incredible.

Jordan Willis

Who would've foreseen Jordan Willis getting as much run as he did? Initially, I had him as a cut candidate, especially once he was handed a six-game suspension for testing positive for a performance enhancing drug. But the 49ers have shown that they believe in Willis. In training camp he receives some reps with the starters and he proves why he is worth it when he looks good in the preseason. Registering a safety in Week 2 against the Chargers was just another tally mark in confidence for the 49ers to retain him. At this point, I think Willis has cemented himself a roster spot AND as a key contributor when he returns from suspension.

JaMycal Hasty

Usually when a running back fumbles, especially multiple times, that player ends up being on the bottom of the Kyle Shanahan's favoritism ladder. However, Hasty has been still getting fed a loaded breakfast platter of reps despite the fumbles, and he has looked stupendous through two preseason games. For Shanahan to do that means he thinks highly of Hasty, a training camp sleeper of mine last year. His vision and shiftiness is just the exact fit for the 49ers offense. Now that he has had an offseason to bulk up a bit and get more embedded into the offense, he looks so fluid when he runs. There is no way he is going to the practice squad again this year, or else some team is going to swoop him up. Hasty might even be the third-best running back on the roster now.

Fallers

Ambry Thomas

From one rookie cornerback to another, Ambry Thomas is nowhere near a player that the 49ers can be comfortable rolling out yet. Lenoir has demonstrated that by far, but Thomas clearly still has some rough edges to smooth over. What I notice from Thomas is that he can play his coverage toward the sideline pretty well, but when he has to cover the inside he fails consistently. And even though he is pretty well with sideline coverage, he still isn't firm enough there. Thomas is a player who is going to be a work in progress this year. If the 49ers were forced to roll Thomas out, he would be easy pickings for an offense. Thomas has his work cut out for him if he wants to rise the depth chart being so far behind.

Richie James Jr.

As I watched Richie James Jr. drop another pass from Trey Lance, I couldn't help but wonder why on earth he even wears gloves? Clearly, they are not doing him any good. The guy cannot focus on the ball to save his life. I don't know if the pass has too much heat from Lance, which could play a part, but this is unacceptable for James. If there was a prop bet on James making the 49ers roster, the odds for him to make it would be +1000. That is how far gone he is now. I do not see anyway he makes it. He just has played himself out of any valid argument to keep him special teams wise. The end is near for James as a 49ers player.

Jalen Hurd

Every game that Jalen Hurd does not play in hurts his stock. It just pushes the 49ers closer and closer to the reality that he isn't meant for a roster spot. How could Shanahan justify keeping Hurd over all the other players who have shown promise and worked their tails off? You could say it was because he was a third-round pick, and those are a fairly weighted draft picks. It definitely isn't some measly capital. This could be the LONE factor as to why the 49ers keep Hurd because they aren't ready to give up on him. I say that the time is now. It isn't fair to the other players and other positions that need depth for a guy who has shown nothing more than being injury prone. The Hurd Era was a good run two preseasons ago. What could've been with him will always be remembered.