© Kim Klement | 2019 Sep 8
It appears the 49ers are down another running back.
Tevin Coleman left Sunday’s opener vs. the Bucs at halftime with a sprained ankle and never returned. He is expected to ‘miss time’ according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Coleman is having an MRI on the ankle Monday, the results of which will determine how severe the sprain is and his timeline for return.
#49ers RB Tevin Coleman suffered an ankle sprain in yesterday’s win over the #Bucs, source said, an injury that is expected to force him to miss time. He’s having tests today (in Youngstown, OH, where the team is staying) to determine the nature of the sprain.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 9, 2019
Coleman’s injury means Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert will take over the lion’s share of the carries for the time being. Jeff Wilson Jr., who is currently on the practice squad, will likely be called up to the 53-man roster to ensure the 49ers have three active running backs next week in Cincinnati. Wilson Jr. had an extremely impressive preseason, and averaged four yards per carry in six games last year.
Though he was outcarried by Breida 15 to 9, Mostert was the 49ers’ most effective runner on Sunday, gaining a team high 40 yards on nine attempts (4.4 per). Though he made the roster largely as a special teams contributor, Mostert has been excellent as a running back throughout his young career, averaging 6.7 yards per carry in 50 attempts.