DRAFT PICK: 4th Round (#129 Overall Pick)
TEAM: San Francisco 49ers
ROOKIE DRAFT ANALYSIS: If you didn't know much about former Wisconsin and Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo before the 2024 NFL Combine, you're not alone. But after his performance in Indianapolis, he entered the fantasy football radar -- and the 49ers draft board.
Featured Promo: Looking for some fantasy football action? Join a dynasty startup league over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. FFPC is the leader in dynasty leagues and has standard, superflex and best ball formats. Dynasty not your thing? No worries, FFPC has Best Ball leagues as well. Join A League Today!While bigger-name backs like Jaylen Wright and Trey Benson had excellent showings at the combine and made plenty of headlines, Guerendo was historically special. At 221 pounds, he led all running backs with a 4.33 forty-time and posted a 98-percentile burst score. Size-adjusted speed and athleticism are most important at the running back spot, and he'll now enter the Christian McCaffrey-led running back room in Kyle Shanahan's offense.
Given Guerendo's elite athletic profile, it's a mystery why it took him until his fifth college season to surpass 500 yards from scrimmage, but he was buried on the depth chart for four years at Wisconsin. In his one year with the Cardinals, he racked up 1,044 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry and a fantastic 10.6 yards per reception.
RD 4 | PK 129 - 49ers: Isaac Guerendo RB, Louisville
At 221 pounds, Guerendo reached the fastest top speed (24.08 mph), ran the fastest 40 yard dash (4.33), and jumped the highest vertical jump (41.5") among running backs at the 2024 Combine. He is one of five RBs since 2003 to… pic.twitter.com/d0iBqk1drs
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) April 27, 2024
McCaffrey is cemented as the 49ers lead back as long as he's healthy, but Guerendo will compete with Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason to be CMC's relief man and backup. Given his efficiency in his final year of college and off-the-charts measurables, even a small role in one of the NFL's best offensive attacks could yield at least minor fantasy production.
If McCaffrey misses a few starts with a minor injury, the 23-year-old rookie has a legit path to starting fantasy lineups in 12-team leagues. This is an early call considering Mitchell and Mason won't just concede their spots on the depth chart, but Guerendo is a key rookie to monitor this offseason. Target him in the third or fourth round of rookie drafts.
More NFL Draft Analysis
Fantasy Football Quarterback Winners From the 2024 NFL Draft
For every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction. It’s Isaac Newton’s third law of motion: If this, then that. Newton probably didn’t know it at the time, but this same law of motion can be attributed to fantasy football, too. If this team drafts this player, then this player loses value. It’s pretty... Read More
2025 NFL Draft - Early Quarterback Prospect Rankings
With the 2024 NFL Draft behind us, it is now time to take a look into what the 2025 class has to offer. While looking nowhere near as deep at the quarterback position as this past draft that saw six signal callers come off the board in Round 1, there is still some intriguing talent.... Read More
2021 NFL Draft - What Went Wrong For The First-Round Quarterbacks?
Five quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Each one was viewed as potentially franchise-altering. The class was led by Trevor Lawrence, who was considered the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. The rookie season for most of the first-round quarterbacks was rough, but the wheels fell off in 2022.... Read More
Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight: Jaheim Bell
The New England Patriots selected dynamic tight end Jaheim Bell with their final pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Adding offensive players with seven of their eight draft picks, New England clearly had their eyes set on fixing what was one of the worst offenses in the league a season ago. The addition of Bell... Read More
Updated 2024 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Post-NFL Draft
What's up RotoBallers! It's always football season here, so let's have some fun now that the 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books! In this article you'll find our NFL team's updated 2024 fantasy football rookie rankings -- the post-NFL Draft edition. Use these fantasy football rookies rankings for your rookie drafts, dynasty drafts, and... Read More