The San Francisco 49ers have quietly had one of the NFL’s best ground games thus far. Running back Carlos Hyde has led the way for the 49ers’ rushing attack with his team-high 299 rushing yards and five touchdowns, the latter of which ranks second in the NFL behind only Melvin Gordon (6).
He now faces an Arizona Cardinals defense among the league’s worst at stopping the run. Arizona ranks 20th in rushing defense and is tied for the ninth-most rushing scores allowed (4).
Fantasy Impact: Yahoo! has Hyde pegged as their 12th-ranked running back in Week 5. They project him to get around 19 touches and account for around 75 total yards.
I strongly believe his numbers will be higher, especially if the Cardinals offense is struggling to stay on the field with Carson Palmer out due to a concussion. That will not only give Hyde more time on the field, but also keep the game close throughout so the 49ers don’t have to abandon the run. Start Hyde in all leagues this week.