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.

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. was waived by the team last week to make room for Christian McCaffrey on the active roster. However, Taylor is back with the organization less than a week later. It appears Taylor was decided to rejoin the practice squad after clearing waivers this week. This move doesn't mean much right now considering Taylor has seven carries for 25 yards on the season. He's nice depth to have given the how often running backs get injured in San Francisco. He figures to fall behind Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the pecking order for backups, so fantasy managers can ignore Taylor.

The San Francisco 49ers are signing free-agent running back Patrick Taylor to a one-year deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 25-year-old went undrafted following his final collegiate season at Memphis, and he has spent the last four years with the Green Bay Packers, mostly as a reserve. Through his first 34 NFL games, Taylor has rushed 65 times for 261 yards and one touchdown and caught 14 passes for 69 yards. With Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, and Jordan Mason on the roster, it'd be surprising if Taylor has a role for San Francisco next season on offense. There's also no guarantee he will make the 53-man roster, so this signing is inconsequential for fantasy football.