The San Francisco 49ers have been struggling this season and the team is dealing with injuries to Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush and Mike Davis, making Shaun Draughn, Kendall Gaskins and Travaris Cadet fantasy options in Week 11 after the Niners have a bye. The team cut Pierre Thomas to make room to sign Cadet and the 49ers also plans to continue using Blaine Gabbert as the starter over Colin Kaepernick.
Carlos Hyde has been dealing with a foot injury and he was not able to practice ahead of Week 9 and was out for that game. The team has a bye in Week 10 and while the 49ers hope that Hyde can return, right now there is not an official word on when he will come back. The Sacramento Bee reported at the end of October that Hyde could miss "multiple games" and he could be out until "late November" with a stress fracture.
Bush was lost for the season with a torn ACL against the Rams a couple weeks ago and that pushed the team to bring in Pierre Thomas. The team later cut Thomas and added Travaris Cadet, who worked out for the team last week. Cadet offers more versatility than Thomas, as he is a solid receiver out of the backfield and could help make up that role with Bush out. Thomas lasted on game with the Niners and now Cadet joins a group that includes Draughn and Gaskins. Last season Cadet had 45 catches and averaged nearly five yards per carry.
Hyde has 470 rushing yards in seven games this season and the team is hoping that he can return soon. Davis was placed on IR with designation to return, but he won't be eligible until the final week to come back. Fantasy owners should look at Draughn as the top option, as he was the lead back against the Falcons and ended up with 20 touches for the Niners. Draughn had 58 yards rushing and added another 38 yards on four catches.
Gaskins has some potential, as 49ers.com reports that the running back could be used in goal line situations. Gaskins could vulture some touchdowns and that makes him slightly valuable in deeper leagues over Cadet. Gaskins has 26 yards rushing this season and he played 29 snaps following the injuries to Davis and Bush against the Rams. Gaskins had seven carries against the Falcons on Sunday.
The 49ers announced this week that they will continue to use Blaine Gabbert as the starter coming out of the bye week. According to Pro Football Talk, Jim Tomsula made the announcement to the media after previously declining to name a starter for Week 11. Tomsula said that Gabbert performed well on third downs against the Falcons and that he "put the ball where it needed to go." Gabbert completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the game and now will get another chance to start.