Frank Gore is not young. While the running back has been an offensive x-factor for the San Francisco 49ers, he turned 31 in May and many are beginning to question just what his role will be on the team in the coming season. It does not help that the team used a high draft pick to acquire Carlos Hyde formerly of Ohio State and have Marcus Lattimore joining the team healthy after sitting out a year. With a crowded running back roster heading into training camp, what will Gore's role be in 2014?

Fantasy football owners beware, Gore's carries will decrease this upcoming season. Last season, the running back carried the ball 276 times. According to ESPN.com, that will not happen again. Bill Williamson reports that Gore could see his carries decrease down to 200 at best, depending on how others develop.

Hyde comes in as the promising rookie. It has been reported by multiple sources that the 49ers are going to put less responsibility in the hands of Gore and more in the hands of Hyde so long as he does not go backwards in training camp.  The 49ers are benefiting from having essentially two rookies on the roster with fresh legs. Hyde comes in as a downfield rusher who can power through inside the tackles while Lattimore is healthy and dynamic. The 49ers took a large gamble drafting Lattimore after he suffered several knee and leg injuries during his college tenure. However, now healthy, he comes in competing for a spot and expecting to see plenty of playing time.

There is still the lingering issue of LaMichael James. The running back might as well be a rookie himself given how little the team has used him over the past two seasons. James came to San Francisco after an impressive college career as a highly dynamic rusher, but has barely been given the opportunity to display that. He held out in the offseason and could be at risk of getting traded or released during training camp. Teams like the Miami Dolphins who are dealing with Knowshon Moreno injuries or the Oakland Raiders who have two aging veterans on the roster could take on James with no issues.