Two years into his NFL career and San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde has yet to really pop as a No. 1 rusher. Granted, he was stuck behind Frank Gore on the depth chart during his rookie season and Colin Kaepernick's struggles under center didn't help matters this past year. But still, a lot more was expected from the speedy 2014 second-rounder. Though his raw numbers are solid, Hyde has been too inconsistent and injury prone to breakout like many had expected of him.
But with some improved play around him and better health, ESPN Fantasy Football Insider Mike Clay believes Hyde could become a true RB1 and finally live up to the high expectations.
"One of my favorite targets in 2015 fantasy drafts, Hyde followed up a strong rookie campaign with an extremely impressive sophomore campaign when he was one the field," Clay wrote. "Despite San Francisco's wretched attempt at a passing game, Hyde averaged 4.1 yards per carry, including an impressive 2.8 yards after contact per attempt. Exceptionally elusive, Hyde forced 32 missed tackles on 115 carries. That 0.28 rate was best in the league among 64 backs who carried the ball at least 50 times. Hyde's shaky durability and limited work on passing downs are concerns, but his terrific efficiency cannot be ignored. Locked in as San Francisco's lead back, the 24-year-old belongs in the RB1 conversation."
Not so fast. Does 470 yards and three scores in seven games lock you into top-tier RB territory? Is that how far we've fallen? Man, the running back landscape must truly be a wasteland if we're ready to anoint Hyde as an early round pick.
When healthy, Hyde has impressed. But he's failed to play a full 16-game schedule in two straight seasons. Though solid in 2015, his longest run was just 22 yards. I know San Fran had a host of offensive problems, but you don't see the pass-averse Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings or Kansas City Chiefs complaining about their running game. Hyde has yet to produce on a consistent basis and you should be wary of trusting him as a RB1 until he does.
