Tevin Coleman returns practice in Week 5

The San Francisco 49ers returned to practice on Thursday, closing out their bye week and continuing on-field preparations for Monday Night Football vs. the Cleveland Browns. The big news for the 49ers was the return of running back Tevin Coleman to drills. He was limited in his work, but it’s a big step up in his return from a high ankle sprain.

Coleman suffered the injury in Week 1, and has been sidelined ever since. The 49ers got a practice session in Monday and Coleman was reportedly looking better coming out of the bye.

Fantasy football analysis, San Francisco 49ers RB Tevin Coleman

Coleman has two more practices on Friday and Saturday, and odds seem decent he will be listed as questionable if he continues to get limited workouts in. That creates a big question for fantasy football owners. The 49ers do not play until Monday, so if he is looking like a game-time decision, do you start him and hope you’re fine Monday evening, or do you start someone Sunday to avoid the risk of not having him?

When Coleman returns, it will be to a prominent role in the offense, but one has to wonder just how much work he will lose to Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert. Goal line back Jeff Wilson is likely the odd man out, but Breida and Mostert have done enough to justify continued work in the backfield. Does this become a fantasy no-man’s land? Shanahan rushing attacks are strong but can be unpredictable. We’ll likely need to wait a week or two to see how it shakes out.