Fantasy Football: Raheem Mostert is a Risky Selection

The trickiness lies with his usage.

Raheem Mostert established himself as the 49ers' best running back last season en route to a Super Bowl appearance. You could even argue that without his implementation in the offense, the 49ers would not have reached the promised land.

Mostert is now becoming a household name as one of the top running backs in the league. However, that narrative changes when it comes to fantasy football. His value is a bit tricky going into 2020. Yes, he is a very skilled player that should garner consideration. 

But the trickiness lies with his usage, which is why he is a risky selection.

There is no debate that Mostert is the 49ers' premier running back. The issue lies with the other players at the position. Players like Tevin Coleman, who is sure to see his fair share of snaps in 2020, or Jerrick McKinnon if his health isn't a concern. Even Jeff Wilson Jr. is a player bound for a role next season. 

These three players are why drafting Mostert is a risky selection and why I would advise to not get caught up in his enormous numbers from last season. Kyle Shanahan is not known for utilizing a lone running back as a workhorse. A running-back committee has been his style for years, so why on earth would he change that now?

If Shanahan was truly an adaptive genius like he is touted, then he will recognize that skewing the snaps to Mostert will optimize the offense. 

Unfortunately, I just do not see that happening. Shanahan has his favorites, and that is not to say he doesn't like Mostert. It is just that he holds Coleman to such a high esteem that he will give him a large portion of snaps on offense. Those snaps will assuredly be taken away from Mostert. 

If Mostert is in your list of targets in fantasy football this upcoming season, then just be wise about where to draft him. Finding the value is the key in fantasy. Drafting Mostert in the first three or four rounds is risky because those are the rounds where you ideally want to plug and forget. Mostert is not that player, which is why he holds heavy risk.