The San Francisco 49ers have had some notable luck grabbing undrafted free agents and putting them into starting roles as of late.
Perhaps one, third-year running back Matt Breida, outshines the rest, as his sudden thrust into the starting role last season earned him more than just a little bit of noteworthy respect around the league.
Following a season-ending ACL tear to then-projected starting running back Jerick McKinnon before the regular season even began, Breida assumed starter’s duties and eventually finished the year with an impressive 5.3 yards per carry — fourth best in the NFL — and a total of 814 rush yards and three rushing touchdowns:
Additionally, despite it not being his forte coming out of Georgia Southern, Breida managed to be a reliable pass-catching option out of the backfield, too, picking up an additional 261 yards and two touchdowns through the air.