Training Camp Battles: The 49ers Second Running Back

Scott Peak Posted On August 9, 2013

james Training camp is upon us which means that football is finally back! For some of us it feels like forever since the Ravens won the Super Bowl and Ray Lewis cried with hundreds of cameras pointed at him. Since then we have had free agency, the draft, and some OTAs but we still have an awful lot of questions about what might happen when the games matter and who the true breakout stars might be. In order to help draw your attention to a few different training camp battles that could have a long lasting impact on your fantasy roster we are kicking off our Training Camp Battles series.

We will give you an in-depth look at several training camp battles and give you the strengths and weaknesses of each player involved. We will also break down what they need to do in order to win the battle and what the upside is for the winner.

Our series continues with a look at the San Francisco 49ers. The unquestioned starter at running back is Frank Gore, but given his advanced age, there could be fantasy gold should he get injured. Problem is, two out of the three most likely beneficiaries are themselves returning from serious injury. Trying to guess which back-up will be most likely to succeed if Gore goes down could prove to be a challenge.

Kendall Hunter

Strengths: Hunter has been mentioned as a potential heir to Gore’s throne. Disaster struck week 12 against New Orleans when he tore his Achilles tendon. Before his torn Achilles, Hunter demonstrated interesting skills. In watching 2012 film as a fan (not a scout), Hunter picked up yards in chunks and had a solid 5.2 yards per carry. Granted, his offensive line was quite strong and that certainly helped. Still, Hunter demonstrated patience in letting his offensive linemen set up their blocks well. Hunter seemed decisive, would identify the proper running lane, cut and go. He showed good vision in finding the right hole and taking advantage of his blocks. He has not had many opportunities for receptions, but I did not see him drop a catchable pass, and this is verified as Pro Football Focus (PFF) did not record a drop for him in 2012. He has speed, with a 40 yard dash 4.46 seconds and demonstrated good agility with a 3-cone drill 6.74, good for third best at the 2011 NFL combine.

Weaknesses: The biggest issue for Hunter is recovering from his Achilles tendon tear. There have been reports his Achilles tendon tear may have been partial and that would certainly carry a better prognosis. That said, running backs can lose explosiveness after sustaining a torn Achilles (see Mikel Leshoure). Hunter was never a particularly explosive player for the Niners and only had three plays of more than 15 yards in 2012. Now, add in the torn Achilles, and his explosiveness may have taken a hit. Hunter is not the most skilled player in pass-blocking, and PFF listed his pass-blocking efficiency (PBE) as a paltry 83.3, worse than players like Ronnie Hillman (96.3) and Beanie Wells (84.5).

What he needs to do: Hunter must show he is adequately recovered from the Achilles tendon rupture and that is a tall order. Even if he can show recovery to his prior form, he has to show improvements in pass blocking and explosiveness to truly become a feature back.

Upside: Hunter’s NFL upside may be limited to a quality back-up player. I have doubts whether Hunter will ever be a productive, every-week starter for an NFL team. His fantasy upside may be capped and limited as an injury replacement or flex player.

LaMichael James

Strengths: James was a prolific player in college, producing Madden-like numbers while at Oregon. James scored 58 touchdowns at Oregon as a runner, receiver and return specialist. James is fast, with a 4.45 40 yard dash and finished top five in the 3-cone drill at the NFL Combine 2012. James has agility and quickness that could be helpful in an era typified by innovative offensive designs. James may be used this year as a return specialist by San Francisco, and could have added productivity in leagues that count return yardage/touchdowns. There is talk of James assuming a role similar to Darren Sproles. If you look at Sproles’ NFL Combine numbers, they are similar to James:

jameschart

Weaknesses: James is undersized by NFL standards, listed at 5 foot 9 inches tall and 195 pounds. In looking at film from 2012, most of his runs were bounced to the outside, with some success. Still, as a between-the-tackles runner, James only had a few productive runs. He isn’t going to break many tackles, either. He had limited opportunities at pass-blocking in 2012, but did not allow a sack or a hurry. Still, reports out of San Francisco are that he is making strides in this area. Considering he has been billed as a big-play specialist, he only had two gains of more than 15 yards with a total of 30 touches.

What he needs to do: James has something Marcus Lattimore and Hunter don’t have – no injury concerns. He does have an opportunity to seize the back-up role if Hunter and Lattimore cannot show adequate recovery from serious injuries.

Upside: If James can assume a Sproles-like role with San Francisco, he could be a sneaky productive option in PPR leagues, but probably more Danny Woodhead and less Sproles given the San Francisco offense is not as prolific as the Saints. I don’t see James becoming an every-down, bell-cow running back, so his points will have to come as a multi-dimensional threat like Sproles or Woodhead.

Marcus Lattimore

Strengths: Speaking as a fan, it was fun watching Lattimore’s video footage before his injuries, even in 2012, after his first ACL injury and before the catastrophic second knee injury. Lattimore looked like an NFL-ready feature back. He had impressive footwork, change of direction skills and great hands as a receiver. He also seemed adept as a pass-blocker and truly had the talent to be a three-down running back in the NFL. In short, he displayed all the skills needed to be a productive starter at running back for an NFL franchise. Character seems to be very good and the knucklehead factor is not a concern as well.

Weaknesses: The obvious factor here is injury history. Lattimore had a torn ACL to his left knee in 2011, and a total knee dislocation (TKD) to the right knee in 2012. Recovery from ACL tears has improved considerably (check out this article for more information). Total knee dislocations are a much more severe injury compared to an isolated ACL injury. Lattimore’s TKD was confirmed to be a torn ACL, PCL and lateral collateral ligament. Current literature estimates nearly 80% of athletes return to play, but only 20-33% can return to their prior level of performance – that is a steep hill for Lattimore to climb. It didn’t appear Lattimore had elite speed pre-injury and was tackled from behind on several of his runs. Still, that is a minor issue relative to his overall game.

What he needs to do: Get healthy and prove he has returned to form. It’s not impossible, as athletes with severe knee injuries like Lattimore have returned to baseline performance. It should be noted that not many athletes have returned from a TKD on one knee and an ACL tear on the opposite knee. Lattimore has to prove he has recovered from his injuries. Talent and character are not in doubt.

Upside: Lattimore returns to health and takes over as the feature back for San Francisco. If Lattimore proves he is back, and can assume feature-back duties from Gore, he would have potential RB1 value.

Prediction

This is a tough one.

I think Hunter is a fine back-up quality player, but I have doubts that he can be a feature-back in the NFL. The future value of James in dynasty depends on whether he can make the transition to a multi-dimensional threat like a Sproles, or at least a better version of Woodhead. James has minimal value outside of PPR leagues or those that count return yardage/scores. My pick out of these three is Lattimore. There is no question he has the talent and desire to be an RB1. It’s not impossible he could return to his prior level of performance, although I’m not entirely confident it will happen. Still, when considering upside of these three players, I will take Lattimore as my pick.