Week 16 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Matt Breida had only six touches, including a pair of receptions last week against the Falcons, gaining just 17 yards on the day. Brieda has single-digit touches in two straight outings now and has failed to eclipse 20% of the team’s offensive snaps during that time. Raheem Mostert has taken over the lead back role for the 49ers, making Breida a long-shot to produce in any given week. He has some upside with his speed, but he’s ultimately too risky to trust in the vast majority of fantasy leagues.
Week 15 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Matt Breida returned to action last week against the Saints and was productive in a limited role. He carried the ball six times and caught one pass for a total of 58 yards. Breida is a nice complementary back with upside due to his playmaking ability, but he’s too risky to trust in most leagues. In larger formats, his supplemental touches have the potential to make him a low-end RB3 option, but he should stay on the bench for most owners with Raheem Mostert likely to get the bulk of the carries again.
Week 14 at New Orleans Saints
Matt Breida has been hurt the last couple of weeks, and while he was out Raheem Mostert looked pretty good. While Breida has some upside in any given week due to his playmaking ability and the coaching staff’s history of using him regularly, this backfield has a logjam with Mostert and Tevin Coleman in the mix and a tough matchup against the Saints this week makes it hard to trust starting any of the 49er running backs. Sit Breida.
Week 13 at Baltimore Ravens
Matt Breida missed last week against the Packers with an ankle injury but he could return this week against the Ravens. If he does start, it negates any value Raheem Mostert has. Breida has been solid in spurts and has made some big plays this season, but in a tough matchup coming off an ankle injury, it’s hard to get too excited about him for this week. Fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach before trusting Breida. Besides, he remains in a timeshare anyway and the 49ers offense has been unreliable in regard to fantasy production for much of the season.
Update: Breida is out, so be sure to get him out of your lineup.
Week 11 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Matt Breida had only 18 yards on 10 carries last week against the Seahawks, adding seven more on a pair of receptions. He’s dealing with an ankle injury, so fantasy owners should keep an eye on the injury report before banking on Breida to produce. He had 92 yards on 17 touches against the Cardinals just two weeks ago, so there’s some upside for him in a re-match, but it’s risky trusting him when he’s not 100%. If Breida starts, he’s worth considering as a low-end RB2 option in a nice matchup, but fantasy owners should have a backup option available in case there’s any question about his status.
Week 10 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Matt Breida was questionable to play last week but ended up active and rendered Raheem Mostert completely useless with 15 carries and a pair of receptions for 92 yards. He continues to split time with Tevin Coleman, but when healthy, he has big-play ability and is clearly a large part of the offense. Expect the 49ers to take a hot-hand approach with Breida and Coleman, but both should get touches in a ball-control offense supported by an elite defense.
Breida faces a Seahawks defense this week that ranks 18th in aFPA to opposing running backs this season. Breida should get plenty of touches as long as the elite 49ers defense can keep the game close. Because of the time-share, he carries risk, but should still be a quality RB3 or flex option in deeper leagues.
Week 9 at Arizona Cardinals
Matt Breida is expected to suit up against the 49ers, but his production has decreased with the rise of Tevin Coleman. He has some upside against the Cardinals as a RB3 option in deep leagues, but he's more likely to destroy the fantasy value of Raheem Mostert than he is to put up big numbers himself. His best hope is for the 49ers to get up early and run out the clock with all three backs. He's risky, but worth considering in deeper leagues.
Week 8 vs. Carolina Panthers
Matt Breida only had eight carries for 35 yards last week against Washington in bad weather and even worse field conditions. He should get more work in most weeks, as he’s averaging 14 total touches per game on the season. The 49ers defense has been fantastic this year, meaning the offense has rarely been forced to throw the ball, giving Breida a high floor when it comes to workload, despite sharing time with Tevin Coleman.
This week should feature another slug-it-out game against a Panthers defense that ranks seventh in passing yards allowed, but 23rd in rushing yards allowed per game this season. Expect Breida to be back near his season average in touches and to put up RB3 numbers. He’s worth considering if you have bye week or injury issues.
Week 7 at Washington Redskins
Matt Breida only had 40 yards from scrimmage last week against the Rams, but he had 17 touches, including four receptions, and he continues to be a key component of the 49ers’ two-headed rushing attack. Breida has speed to burn and is bound to make some big plays while touching the ball so much. It was good to see his workload continue even in the second week since Tevin Coleman returned from injury.
This week Breida has a lot of upside against a Washington defense that ranks 28th in aFPA to opposing running backs this season. Plus, if Washington doesn’t put up much of a fight and the 49ers get up early, Breida could see even more work as the offense works the clock. He has low-end RB2 upside this week.
Week 6 at Los Angeles Rams
Matt Breida saw a pretty even split in snaps on Monday night against the Browns, but he made the most of his opportunities. He opened the game with an electrifying 83-yard touchdown and finished with 129 yards on 11 carries and three receptions. Breida will continue to share time with the other 49ers’ running backs, but he’s proven what he can do with limited touches and he remains a viable fantasy option with big-play upside.
This week, Breida faces a Rams defense that has been very average against the running backs this year, ranking 16th in aFPA to the position. However, the Rams got eaten up by Chris Carson last week and the 49ers are looking to play a ball-control game against their division rival, giving Breida some upside as a primary component of the offense. If he gets another 14 touches like he did last week, he should put up low-end RB2 numbers at minimum against the Rams.
