The fantasy football running back carousel in San Francisco added another rider in Week 5 with the return of Tevin Coleman into the fray. Yes,  I know Coleman saw the field in Week 4, but he played just one snap. The lead running back in San Francisco is still, and will remain, Jeff Wilson while Elijah Mitchell is out of the lineup but the 49ers have been searching for a consistent backup running back with the likes of Tyrion Davis-Price, Jordan Mason and Marlon Mack all finding considerations over the past week. Which leads us to the Week 6 fantasy football waiver wire and the value of the running back position in fantasy football. Is Coleman worth adding this week following his Week 5 performance? Let's dive in!

Should Tevin Coleman Be A Week 6 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickup?

In Week 5 we saw the 49ers travel to Carolina to face the Panthers and they dominated every facet of the game and came out with a 37-15 win. In this game Jeff Wilson led the rushing attack for the 49ers, totaling 120 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries while adding one catch for 12 yards.  Wilson played 58% of the team's offensive snaps as he holds down the clear RB1 role in this offense. Week 5 also saw Tevin Coleman see his first bit of significant playing time as he played 28% of the team's offensive snaps, finishing with 23 yards and a touchdown on eight carries while adding three catches for 44 yards and another score. While the 49ers won by 22, Coleman's involvement in the offense was not all garbage time as he scored the first touchdown of the game on a nice nine-yard catch from Jimmy Garoppolo. Coleman also had the final score of the game, with a five-yard touchdown run with three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. No other running back on the 49ers roster saw the field in this game which is good news for Coleman when it comes to his value. Of course, Coleman is no stranger to this 49ers team and the offense being run. He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons as a member of the 49ers but injuries limited him to just 22 games over those two seasons. 2019 was his best year with the team, he started 11 of 14 games and finished with 544 yards and six scores while adding 21 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown. His relationship with head coach Kyle Shannahan goes deeper however as Coleman was part of the Atlanta Falcons where Shannahan was on the coaching staff.

When it comes to Coleman and his fantasy value moving forward, I think it's encouraging that he got some of the passing work and saw more targets than Jeff Wilson. I also like that no other running back saw any playing time which means Coleman, at least for now, is locked in behind Wilson and if something was to happen to Wilson then Coleman would likely be the next man up. Of course, all of this can change when the 49ers running back room gets healthier but, at least for now, in deep league formats, I think a low FAAB bid or non-priority waiver pickup of Coleman is merited. 

 

 

Related Fantasy Football Links