Week 2 at Pittsburgh
Hyde had an NFL-high 168 yards rushing and two scores on 26 carries last week against the Vikings, adding 14 receiving yards on two catches as well. The Steelers did give up 69 yards on 15 carries to Dion Lewis last week at New England, but just 80 yards on 24 overall carries. A lot of Lewis' yards came with the Steelers looking to stop the pass first, which might not be as big of an issue this week. Hyde should produce well enough to be a solid No. 1 starter, but I don't think he's going for 168 yards again.
Week 1 vs. Minnesota
Hyde takes over as San Francisco's lead back after years of Frank Gore holding down the job. Reggie Bush will spell him and play on third downs, so Hyde's ceiling is limited. He will get the goal line carries, though, which is big. Hyde should see 15 to 20 touches and produce around 60-75 total yards per game. But because he won't catch a lot of passes, he's a better option in standard scoring leagues than he is in PPR leagues. Even with that, he's a third RB option or flex play against the Vikings this week.
Fantasy Upside
With Frank Gore gone, Carlos Hyde takes over as the lead back in San Francisco. If he gets Gore-like carries - 200 to 250 - he should put up close to 1,000 total yards.
Fantasy Downside
Reggie Bush makes it a crowded backfield, and his presence means Hyde is not going to give you much as a receiver. The 49ers also have lost a lot since last season ended and play in a division loaded with strong defensive teams. It's not a favorable schedule.
Bottom Line
Hyde is going in the fourth round of most drafts, which is a nice spot to get a second running back. That's exactly what Hyde will be this season - though he has some upside. He's not as valuable in PPR leagues, but 1,000 yards and five to 10 TDs should be doable.
Carlos Hyde Week 15 vs. Seattle
Two carries, four yards last week? No thanks. Hyde had five carries for 19 yards against the Seahawks two weeks ago. That's about the high end of what you can expect.
Carlos Hyde Week 14 vs. Raiders
Carlos Hyde got just five carries for 19 yards last week and is now dealing with a shoulder injury. With a limited role and workload, even a promising matchup with the Raiders doesn't offer much value.
Carlos Hyde Week 13 vs. Seahawks
Carlos Hyde scored for the second time in three weeks, but had just 16 yards rushing on seven carries. Keep walking, nothing to see here.
Carlos Hyde Week 12 vs. Redskins
Carlos Hyde's nine carries last week were his most since Week 6, which was promising. His 25 rushing yards? Not so much. The Redskins have been tough against the run this season. There's no reason to think Hyde will have a good game.
Carlos Hyde Week 11 vs. Giants
Carlos Hyde got into the end zone last week for his third touchdown of the season. But he also had just four carries for 36 yards, while Frank Gore got 23. There's not a lot of fantasy value here right now unless he's stealing touchdowns. And you can't count on that from week to week.
Carlos Hyde Week 10 vs. Saints
Carlos Hyde went from stealing valuable carries from Frank Gore to getting five total carries the past two games. Gore is dealing with a hip injury this week and that might add up to a few more carries for Hyde, but the Saints have allowed just 168 yards rushing to opposing backs in three home games this season. Take a pass on Hyde.
Carlos Hyde Week 9 vs. Rams
Carlos Hyde had just 14 yards on a season-high 11 carries just a few weeks ago at St. Louis, which has done a good job against opposing running backs this season. Hyde should be better at home this week, but don't get your expectations too high. He's a handcuff, or desperation start this week with six teams on bye.
