Who is Kendall Gaskins?
On a team decimated by off-season retirements, regular season injuries and general ineffectiveness, there are few left standing in San Francisco’s backfield. For the same reason that DLF’s Eric Olinger cries himself to sleep every night, a 49ers running back named Kendall Gaskins has suddenly become a potentially fantasy relevant option. Whether he has the talent to convert this opportunity is the question in the minds of dynasty owners.
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Heading to Richmond College (RC) in Virginia in 2009 as a star on both sides of the line of scrimmage, Gaskins made an immediate impact offensively despite playing both running back and fullback. He led the team with six rushing touchdowns, and although he only had 38 carries for 93 yards, he converted nearly two-thirds of his carries into touchdowns or first downs as he served as the team’s short-yardage back.
In 2010, Gaskins rushed 96 times for 398 yards and five touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 126 yards. He continued to find his way into the end zone as a junior in 2011, scoring 10 touchdowns while he tallied 650 yards on 168 attempts on the ground.
Gaskins wrapped up his career at RC second all-time in school history with 38 rushing touchdowns after tacking on 16 total touchdowns as a senior, earning him numerous All-American honors. He scored a touchdown on every 11 carries in 2012 and one for every 13.2 throughout his career. Although the yardage totals are not particularly impressive (1,749 rushing and 393 receiving over four years), Gaskins was a vital and successful contributor at key times.
Prior to the NFL Draft, the 6’1”, 238-pound Gaskins did not attend the 2013 NFL Combine. It was probably for the best, as he only would have placed in the top 15 among running backs in the vertical jump (tied for 15th with 34”) and bench reps (tied for 15th with 20) based on his Pro Day results.
Gaskins’ clear strength is his toughness and ability to grind out difficult yards, though he did show good hands as a receiver out of the backfield when (rarely) called upon. He likens his game to that of former Atlanta Falcon Jason Snelling, to the extent that he can contribute in a variety of situations and is not limited to goal line work.
Although he demonstrated a nose for the end zone in college, Gaskins’ talent didn’t match up to that of the 24 running backs (or three fullbacks) selected in the 2013 NFL Draft. He signed with Buffalo as a free agent following the draft, but was released in the Bills’ final cuts down to a 53-man roster. Over the next year, he had shorts stints with the Titans and Giants but was never called up to either active roster.
In September 2014, he was signed to the 49ers’ practice squad after the Giants released him, though he was not called up during the season. Though he was waived in 2015 final preseason cuts and signed to the practice squad, he was called up on November 1 after Carlos Hyde sustained a foot injury and Jarryd Hayne was cut, leaving many owners with no choice but to pick up Gaskins off waiver wires.
After Reggie Bush and Mike Davis both sustained injuries in week 8, Gaskins was the only running back left standing. In a matchup against St. Louis’ tough run defense, and after which starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick would get benched, Gaskins only mustered six yards on the first five carries of his career, along with two receptions for 17 yards.
For the remainder of the 2015 season, the depth chart has changed dramatically in a short period of time. Bush was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a torn MCL, Davis is dealing with a broken hand and Hyde remains sidelined with a foot injury. Davis and Hyde should be able to return this season, but with a 2-6 record and the team looking to next year it is possible one or both sit out longer than their recovery time frames require.
Heading into week nine, the backfield has a host of new names and a cloud of uncertainty. Pierre Thomas was signed this week, and the well-traveled Shaun Draughn also entered the picture. How carries will be split is anyone’s guess, and the quarterback change to Blaine Gabbert only adds to the confusion. For this week, Gaskins may be worth a DFS flier given his price tag, but his ceiling is not high and his floor is rock bottom. [748]
Changes will be abound for the 49ers heading into the 2016 season, with Thomas, Bush and Draughn all heading into free agency. Gaskins is signed through 2016, while fellow fullback Bruce Miller joins Hyde and Davis as the only backfield options signed beyond 2016.
Though Hyde came out of the gate with a bang in 2015, he has failed to reach 100 all-purpose yards since week one and has only one performance over 55 yards rushing in the last six games. Davis has 24 yards rushing on 25 carries. Both should remain with the team next year, but there should be a significant roster shakeup that does not guarantee either a starting job. Gaskins, meanwhile, will be on the roster bubble as he gets an opportunity to show his skill set at the NFL level.
The 25-year-old Gaskins does not have much upside short-term, but could be a flex option if he gets the lion’s share of carries in tandem with Thomas as the third-down back. With your IR spots likely filling to maximum, there may be a bench spot open if he is available. His long-term outlook isn’t particularly bright, but at least he has the opportunity to carve out a niche role on a roster in flux.
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