The One Overlooked Departure That Will Hurt the 49ers the Most

The San Francisco 49ers' loss of Brian Robinson Jr. is going to be overlooked. San Francisco did not appear to have much interest in bringing him back and signed a modest deal to be a backup for the Atlanta Falcons. While this is not being talked about at all, there is a reason to think that this loss will impact the 49ers' season.

The San Francisco 49ers do not have a replacement for Brian Robinson Jr.

Robinson had 92 carries last season. That does not sound like a lot until you consider Christian McCaffrey had 311 carries and 129 targets. The 49ers were using their running back a lot last season, and even when McCaffrey was not getting the ball, the running back was still a notable piece.

This past season was a career high in touches for McCaffrey, so we do not know how we will respond, but in the past two years, when he went over 250 carries, he got hurt the following season. Now that he is 30 years old, that just became more likely.

The smart thing for San Francisco to do is try to reduce its carries next year. Beyond that, there has to be some factoring in that he may miss time after that workload. So, the 49ers' backup running back is now in line for much more than the 92 carries that Robinson got last year.

San Francisco 49er — Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Perhaps the 49ers did not like Robinson and his style, and that is why they did not bring him back. Still, Robinson averaged 4.3 yards per attempt. McCaffrey was a 3.9, so it is not like he was struggling with his touches.

Perhaps the 49ers are that confident in Jordan James; they did draft him after all. However, James hardly saw the field last season, even in the preseason. Betting on him to get nearly 150 carries next year would be a big ask, and that appears to be what they are counting on right now.

The 49ers could draft another running back, but that is not a sure thing, especially because they are unlikely to take one with their first two picks. This is not the best running back draft, and the person they take on day three may enter the NFL as a worse prospect than James. The 49ers may be in a tough spot if they try to limit the McCaffrey carries, and they better hope he can get through the season without a competent backup.