Jerick McKinnon had his moments with the Minnesota Vikings. The former Georgia Southern quarterback parlayed those moments into a 4-year, $30 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
The #49ers starting RB: @JetMckinnon1
Kyle Shanahan explains why the new addition is the right man for the job.
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— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) March 16, 2018
That’s a lot of money for a guy who has mostly been a complementary piece in his four seasons in the NFL. But the 49ers may have special plans for the former Viking, who is in line for the biggest workload of his career.
Reasons to Get Excited
Presumed Starter
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan is already referring to McKinnon as the 49ers’ starting running back. With Carlos Hyde out the door, McKinnon is the clear choice to become the 49ers’ new feature back. Hyde’s departure frees up plenty of opportunities, as his 240 carries in 2017 dwarfed McKinnon’s career-high of 159.
Even though McKinnon tied for 25th among running backs in touches (202, 12.6 per game) he finished the season as the 17th-best running back in PPR leagues. His 0.87 PPR league points per touch ranked sixth among running backs with at least 200 touches. If he actually does inherit Hyde’s workload, McKinnon could be a low-end RB1.
Elite Athleticism
Going by workouts leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, McKinnon is one of the most athletic running backs of the last 20 years. He now has four years of NFL experience and will be 26 years old in May. Though he has been in the league longer, he’s actually younger than David Johnson. If McKinnon is indeed entering his prime with lead-back usage for the first time, a Johnson-like breakout isn’t out of the question.
Devonta Freeman Role
Much like Trey Burton in Chicago, connections are being made between McKinnon’s new head coach and a player that coach succeeded with in the past. Devonta Freeman, another undersized but athletic back, flourished under Shanahan in Atlanta. In Shanahan’s two seasons as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, Freeman finished first (2015) and sixth (2016) among running backs in PPR leagues.
If nothing else, it shows Shanahan knows how to use a running back with McKinnon’s skill set. Even if he does end up being a part-time player again, he could put up huge numbers.
Reasons to Pump the Brakes
Handling a Starter Workload
Despite numerous opportunities, the Vikings never handed McKinnon feature back duties. Though Adrian Peterson dealt with nearly season-long absences in 2014 and 2016 due to suspension and injury, respectively, Matt Asiata and his 3.5 career yards per carry saw plenty of action. When Dalvin Cook went down in 2017, it was Latavius Murray who led the team in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns. Perhaps this is a sign that McKinnon was unable to handle the workload, meaning he’ll struggle even if he is San Francisco’s starter.
Depth Chart Not Set
The 49ers have plenty of young talent at running back behind McKinnon. They spent a fourth-round pick on Utah’s Joe Williams last year and added another Georgia Southern alumnus, Matt Breida, as an undrafted free agent. They also have Jeremy McNichols, a fifth-round pick of the Bucs who San Francisco signed after final cuts last year.
Plus, the 49ers could always add someone in the draft. This running back class is considered particularly deep. McKinnon could easily lose his spot as the number-one running back between now and September.
Lack of Size
At 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, McKinnon is on the small side. As such, he’ll carry some extra injury risk should the 49ers feature him. While he has been mostly durable throughout his career, he’s never been a starter. If the 49ers aren’t careful, he is a prime candidate to miss some time.
Conclusion
McKinnon is definitely going to pick up some sleeper buzz in PPR leagues, especially if the 49ers don’t spend an early pick on a running back. That buzz will be mostly well-deserved. The Niners appear to be on the upswing and McKinnon is capable of having a big year. This looks to be an ideal mesh of talent and situation. He’s firmly in the RB2 discussion and has a great chance of putting up RB1 numbers. Keep a close eye on him, especially in PPR leagues.
