Carlos Hyde

Hyde enjoyed the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career in 2019, and he did it in improbable fashion. Signed in the offseason by the Chiefs to battle for a depth role, Hyde instead got flipped to the Texans in August after Lamar Miller tore an ACL, becoming the early down back in coach Bill O'Brien's unimaginative offense. With Duke Johnson handling passing-down work, Hyde spent almost the entire season banging for yards in the trenches, and no back in the league ran the ball more times between the tackles than Hyde (137), while only Gus Edwards and Le'Veon Bell took a lower percentage of their carries outside. Given the circumstances, his 4.4 yards per carry and 2.2 yards per carry after contact were surprisingly good numbers, as he used his size (6-0, 229) and power to muscle through the holes Houston's rebuilt offensive line opened. The team did not bring him back, however, and he signed with Seattle where he will add depth to a backfield looking for healthy bodies. Both Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny are coming off season-ending injuries, and the latter is not expected to be ready for Week 1. Hyde could figure into a steady role behind Carson, though the Seahawks also drafted DeeJay Dallas in the fourth round and still have Travis Homer, who took over late last season after Carson and Penny went down. Hyde spent the offseason rehabbing a shoulder injury, but he said he expects to be fully recovered by Week 1.

Almost from the moment he was drafted in the second round in 2014 by the 49ers, Hyde's been slammed for what he can't do more than he's been praised for what he can do. He had trouble staying on the field early in his career, but when he was healthy he ran with power and purpose, and he put in the work to improve as a receiver and blocker. Regardless, the Niners let him walk when his rookie contract expired, and after signing with Cleveland in 2018 he watched the front office immediately draft his replacement in Nick Chubb. Despite finding the end zone five times in his first four games, Hyde was sent packing after Week 6 and spent the rest of the season behind Leonard Fournette in Jacksonville. After signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs this offseason, Hyde saw his standing in the team's backfield tumble and he was dealt to Houston in the midst of roster cut-downs. How he got there doesn't necessarily inspire confidence, but there is path to playing time for Hyde, who is now poised to share the Texans' backfield with Duke Johnson.

Hyde played 16 games for the first time in his career last season, but his overall body of work wasn't impressive beyond the volume. He set a career high in rushing TDs - including four in five games alongside Jimmy Garoppolo in the 49ers backfield - and piled up more catches and receiving yards in one year than he had in his entire career prior to 2017. But his YPC fell to a career low, thanks in part to a mediocre offensive line, and he'll have a hard time approaching last year's production after signing as a free agent with Cleveland. For one thing, Kyle Shanahan won't be calling his plays, and the Browns already have a superb third-down back in Duke Johnson. For another, the front office used the 35th overall pick on Nick Chubb, putting immediate pressure on Hyde to prove he deserves his spot at the top of the depth chart. The 27-year-old has the size and skills to handle lead-back duties in a rapidly improving offense, but if he breaks down again or simply fails to perform as well as expected, a spot on the bench could be waiting for him.

Hyde burst out of the gate in 2016 with 377 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the first five games, but shoulder and knee injuries quickly took the shine off his season and he didn't score a rushing TD in his remaining eight games, although he did produce a 193-yard effort against the Jets in Week 14. At 6-0, 235, Hyde has the size and power to be a prototypical early down back in the NFL, and he showed flashes of being able to contribute in the passing game towards the end of last season, catching three TDs in his last five games on 15 targets. Further development for Hyde in that area could be crucial for him now that former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has taken the reins in San Francisco, though Shanahan has shown a willingness in the past to adapt his offense and work with what he has, rather than try to force square pegs into round holes. The acquisition of Pro Bowl center Jeremy Zuttah from Baltimore should also help bolster the 49ers' run blocking. There are plenty of question marks around Hyde heading into 2017, but if he can stay healthy, a new coach and offensive scheme could be just what Hyde needs to blossom.

What does Chip Kelly mean to an NFL offense? That depends on which Philadelphia season you focus on. Kelly was something of a miracle worker in 2013 (Nick Foles waves hello); credible in 2014; and run out of town after a nightmare 2015. So whatever narrative you want to build on Kelly working with Hyde this year, you'll be able to find supporting ammunition. After making it through most of his rookie season (a bum ankle cost him two games), a foot injury torpedoed Hyde for nine games last year. He eventually had the wheel surgically repaired in January. Player and team are confident Hyde will be on schedule for the summertime work. The 49ers just don't want Hyde to be the man this year, they desperately need him as such. The rest of the depth chart is fairly pedestrian, with Shaun Draughn the nominal backup. It remains to be seen if the new regime can get Hyde up to speed on third down; he has just 31 targets in two professional seasons. His longest catch in San Francisco is just 16 yards. Anyone invested in Hyde this year is hoping Kelly and staff can somehow find a way to keep games close, cobbling together a competitive club. Otherwise, Hyde's likely to be a victim of game flow. So, are you drinking the Kelly Kool-Aid?

For the first time in a decade, Frank Gore will not be the starting running back for the 49ers. That honor falls to Hyde, a 2014 second-round pick, after Gore left in free agency. A big, physical runner, Hyde has burst and power that allow him to take advantage of holes and grind out yards after contact, along with the soft hands and blitz pickup skills to stay on the field in passing downs. Hyde's touches were limited as a rookie behind Gore, but despite the additions of Reggie Bush as a free agent and fourth-round pick Mike Davis, Hyde is the favorite to take over as the lead runner in a crowded backfield. He lost 15 pounds in the offseason to add some speed and prepare for the transition from depth player to three-down feature back. The biggest threat to Hyde's value might come from San Francisco's coaching changes. New offensive coordinator Geep Chryst, promoted from QB coach, seems intent on running more read-option with Colin Kaepernick, which could result in more carries for Kaepernick and fewer for the running backs. Even if he doesn't inherit Gore's full workload, however, Hyde's prospects for a productive season are still excellent.

Even with no need at running back, San Francisco spent a second-round pick on Hyde, a 6-foot, 230-pound bull who rushed for 1,521 yards on just 208 carries (7.3 YPC) at Ohio State last year. Hyde doesn't have home-run speed and isn't a very good receiver, but he's very fast for a big back and should immediately find some role in the Niners' rotation as they spend this season figuring out who's going to be the successor to Frank Gore. Hyde is currently slated to be the primary backup behind Gore with the potential to earn goal line carries.