Want to hear something that you probably already know? That Matt Breida guy, he's pretty darn good. NFL.com thinks so, too.
Breida is listed as the No. 2 running back among RB2s on the league's official site. Now, Breida has started the last two games and rushed for 189 yards while averaging 7.3 yards per carry in those games, but he has received the lion's share of work because Tevin Coleman suffered an ankle injury during Week 1.
Former NFL running back turned NFL Media analyst Maurice Jones-Drew listed Breida has his No. 2 RB2 behind LeSean McCoy of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jones-Drew wrote the following about Breida:
"The third-year 49ers running back has been a staple in this offense since he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent. Breida is an RB1-caliber player, but John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan keep signing guys to play ahead of him -- first Jerick McKinnon in 2018, then Tevin Coleman this past offseason -- but Breida continues to produce when he gets his opportunities. Averaging 5.0 yards per carry for his career, Breida is also an asset in the pass game and a perfect fit for Shanahan's offense. Even if Coleman returns soon from the ankle injury he suffered in Week 1, Breida has earned a fair share of the carries."
The hope is that Coleman can make his way back to practicing next week, after the 49ers return from their bye week. Head coach Kyle Shanahan sounded optimistic this week that Coleman might be ready for the team's Week 5 matchup at Levi's Stadium against the Cleveland Browns.
"I think he's got a good chance to come back next week," Shanahan told reporters on Monday. "He was just jogging and moving pretty well last week, just watching him run on the side. He won't be out there tomorrow (Tuesday, which was the 49ers last practice of the week) but, hopefully, we'll get him practicing here next Monday."
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.
