Carlos HydeWhen the
49ers drafted Hyde, it signaled the eventual end of
Frank Gore's remarkable run in San Francisco. That came true when Gore signed with the
Colts this offseason, paving the way for Hyde to rocket up draft boards and become this offseason's darling sleeper/breakout candidate in the fantasy community. But will he deliver on his hype and opportunity? Here's what I found out watching the tape.
2014 IN REVIEW
Hyde served in a mostly rotational role for the
49ers, spelling Gore at times and occasionally getting his own package or series of work. All told, Hyde had a mere 83 carries for 333 yards (4.0 ypc average) with four touchdowns. He wasn't much on the fantasy radar, and an injured ankle and back ruined his shot at a late-season surge while Gore endured a concussion.
ANALYSIS
The traits that stand out the most when you watch Hyde on tape are that he makes quick decisions and executes that decision with the fire of a thousand suns. What I mean by that, is this guy hits the hole like a wrecking ball. Would-be tacklers and
even his own linemen are left in his wake once he comes barreling through the line of scrimmage. Now, that being said, sometimes this leaves Hyde open to get tackled once he initiates a walloping of contact. It'd be great to seem him couple this power with a little more tact, slowing down a tad to allow himself to change direction, as he has the quick feet to do so. He has tremendous balance for a man of his size (6-foot, 235 pounds) which allows him to gain extra yardage after contact (and thus, more fantasy points).
2015 AND BEYOND
For Hyde, opportunity is going to be everything. San Francisco has lost more players to retirement and free agency than Spinal Tap has had drummers, but they will need a steady ground game to help
Colin Kaepernick operate at peak efficiency. While
Reggie Bush will see a lot of work and
Mike Davis could eat into some touches, Hyde will have every chance to make this HIS backfield. Whether he does or not remains to be seen. I like his chance to have a
Mark Ingram 2014-type season, where he loses touches to other backs but is still productive enough to post solid RB2 numbers on a weekly basis. Hyde has the talent and opportunity to do so. Now all fantasy owners need him to do is make the most of those.
2015 DRAFT VALUE
Surge: I like Hyde a lot this year, but there is some risk. The
49ers offense is not what it once was, and he could lose touches to the bevy of running backs around him. With that in mind, he's an excellent target in Rounds 4 to 6 as a solid RB2 or RB3.