Jalen Hurd

WR Jalen Hurd is expected to play the "big slot" role in the 49ers' offense this season.

Fantasy Impact

Hurd missed the entire 2019 season with a back injury but has been catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo dating back to at least mid-June. The 24-year-old is an explosive athlete who will likely make more of a "real life" impact this season, as opposed to having a role on your fantasy squad.

Jalen Hurd (back) has resumed catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.

Fantasy Impact

Hurd, a third-round pick last year, didn't play at all during his rookie season. However, he is one of a handful of potential playmaker in this San Francisco receiving corps. The 24-year-old is unlikely to make a big fantasy football impact in 2020, but he's a name to remember in dynasty formats.

According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, while at San Francisco 49ers training camp in 2019, WR Jalen Hurd was “the best player on the field.”

Fantasy Impact

Hurd was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of the 2019 Draft out of Baylor. He started his collegiate career at Tennessee as a running back, totaling 3,130 yards and 26 TDs. He transferred to Baylor after three years with the Volunteers where he was converted to a WR. He excelled in this role as well, catching 69 balls for 946 yards and four TDs. At 6’4”, Hurd has all the physical ability to be a dominant presence on the field, no matter where he’s lined up. He’s being drafted as a WR7 or 8 in very deep leagues, most likely due to the fact that he didn’t play in 2019, but he could end up soaring past his ADP when all is said and done. Keep an eye on Hurd and his role in the 49ers offense this season.

After missing his entire rookie campaign with a stress fracture in his back, 49ers WR Jalen Hurd is cleared for all football activities and GM John Lynch is “very optimistic” about his recovery.

Fantasy Impact

Hurd has recently been ramping up his rehabilitation at the 49ers practice facility in Santa Clara in recent weeks and Lynch told reporters that he’s “cleared” and that the 49ers are “ramping him up” in hopes that he’s fully ready to roll come training camp. Hurd was a third-round pick out of Baylor just a year ago, and the 49ers are very high on the RB turned WR. He could be used similarly to how WR Deebo Samuel was used in 2019, lined up all over the field. If he’s healthy, which it seems like he may be, look for Hurd to be given ample opportunity to produce on offense. With Emmanuel Sanders now gone, Hurd may have a shot at fantasy relevancy in 2020.

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver/running back Jalen Hurd is not expected to make his NFL debut this season, after experiencing setbacks with the stress fracture in his back.

Fantasy Impact

Jalen Hurd would have been a tremendous addition to the 49ers beleaguered wide receiver corps. His ability to play both running back and wide receiver at a high level would have made him an exciting player to watch in Kyle Shanahan's offense. With Dante Pettis potentially on his way out of the Bay area, and Emmanuel Sanders a free agent, Hurd will look to lock up one of the top three receiver roles in 2020.