What to do with Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman in Week 1 fantasy football

The San Francisco 49ers ran with a three-headed monster at running back during the 2019 season. Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman each finished the season with exactly 137 rushing attempts with Matt Breida checking in with an additional 123 carries. Breida is out of the picture with the Miami Dolphins, but Jerick McKinnon should see the field after missing the last two seasons with injuries.

The team is still sorting out Tevin Coleman’s status for Week 1. He would normally be good to go, but the poor air quality in Northern California could result in him sitting out the game.

Fantasy Football analysis: San Francisco 49ers RBs Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman

Mostert should enter the season as the team’s top running back especially after an impressive showing during the playoffs. He was unstoppable against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game with 220 yards on 29 carries with four touchdowns. The big question is how many touches Mostert will see. The 29 carries were an anomaly as he never came close to receiving that many carries in any other game.

As for Coleman, he was statistically the worst of the three main backs for San Francisco last season, averaging four yards per carry, though he scored seven total touchdowns in 2019. The 49ers’ strength is their running game, but it might be difficult to trust Coleman on a weekly basis with Mostert likely taking half the carries away in addition to whatever McKinnon will bring to the table.

The 49ers’ Week 1 opponent will be the Arizona Cardinals, which finished 24th in rushing yards allowed per game, so San Francisco running backs should be able to find some running room.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Mostert is worthwhile as a second running back in standard leagues, while Tevin Coleman should be a flex option at best if he is active.