Patrick Taylor Jr.'s Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. could get his first career start on Thursday night in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium. Last week, Taylor Jr. took seven carries for 25 yards and sealed the blowout of the Chicago Bears with a touchdown in the fourth quarter after starter Isaac Guerendo left with a foot injury. It's common fantasy wisdom to point out that head coach Kyle Shanahan always eschews a committee approach, leaning almost exclusively on his starting running back. If Guerendo were to be ruled out -- and if you count Elijah Mitchell who was deemed out for the year during the preseason -- Taylor Jr. represents San Francisco's fifth-string running back. This may be the one situation where Shanahan decides to mix it up with his backfield snap distribution. The Rams are middle-of-the-pack in stopping the run and it's hard to argue for benching any RB starting for the 49ers. Still, Israel Abanikanda and Ke'Shawn Vaughn could eat into Taylor Jr.'s volume, as all three are basically replacement-level players. If Guerendo suits up, Taylor Jr. should be on fantasy benches, but if Guerendo can't go, the former Packer is a high-ceiling/low-floor play on the RB2/3 border.

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. saw his heaviest involvement of the season during a 38-13 Week 14 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday in Santa Clara. Taylor Jr. was, as predicted, an afterthought to rookie Issac Guerendo in the absence of Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Jordan Mason (ankle). The 26-year-old former Packer finished with seven carries for 25 yards, including a three-yard touchdown run to salt the game away after Guerendo (foot) exited late, not to return. Regardless of the touchdown, Taylor Jr. was mediocre on a per-carry basis, looking the part of a fourth-string running back. If Guerendo were to miss Week 15, Taylor Jr. would be a worthy waiver target mostly because of the premium role he'd step into, but shouldn't command near as much FAAB as Guerendo did last week, not least because he'd be far less likely to contribute as much as a receiver. That said, Taylor Jr. and the Niners get a vulnerable Rams rush defense at home in Week 15.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster. Taylor will likely slot in as the No.2/No.3 option alongside Israel Abanikanda, while rookie Isaac Guerendo operates as the lead option. This move occurred as Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Jordan Mason (ankle) were both placed on the injured reserve on Monday following their loss to the Buffalo Bills. Taylor spent his first three seasons with the Green Bay Packers serving as a depth option, averaging a solid 4.0 yards per carry. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor who operates as the No.2 option behind Guerendo, as they could be a viable stash option during the fantasy playoffs.