The San Francisco 49ers had Jarryd Hayne debut on Monday night and the former rugby star was a huge hit in Australia as he played in an NFL game against the Vikings. Hayne had some issues, but he is going to continue getting playing time and it comes as Carlos Hyde could be a fantasy sleeper moving forward for Colin Kaepernick along with starters Torrey Smith, Reggie Bush, Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis.
The 49ers started the season off with a big win over the Vikings and Carlos Hyde was central to the action, putting up over 100 yards on the ground in his debut. Hyde is a great sleeper option for fantasy owners, as he is taking over for Frank Gore and the Niners offense could be centered more around the running game. Reggie Bush is in the mix as well, but he is dealing with an injury and could miss some time.
Hyde finished off his first game with 168 rushing yards and he added two touchdowns in the game and moving forward he is a prime starter. Bush had to leave with a calf injury and that could make Hayne a risk worth taking moving forward. Hayne has been one of the most interesting players to watch over the summer, as he came over from the Australian Rugby League and made the 49ers. Hayne is third on the RB depth chart and now with Bush week to week with an injury, he could see some more time on the field.
Hayne was a huge hit in Australia, as TV viewers were able to watch his debut and many websites, including The Guardian, live blogged the game. Hayne is giving many in Australia an introduction to the NFL and moving forward he could play a bigger part for the 49ers as he gets more acclimated to the game. Hayne was set as the punt return man for the 49ers on Monday night and while he fumbled his first chance at getting a return, head coach Jim Tomsula said that Hayne handled things well in the game and that he will be continuing to get playing time.
Tomsula said that Hayne was eventually pulled from the game to ensure health on the roster, as the team did not want to "risk losing another back" after Bush was injured. Hayne had one return and he also added five touches on offense with four rushes for 13 yards and one catch for seven yards. Hayne is worth a look in deeper leagues, as Bush is injury prone and the 49ers love the athleticism of the Australian.
According to Jason Cole, Bush is being listed as "week to week" with a calf injury and if he is out this week, Hyde and Hayne could get a boost. Colin Kaepernick has solid targets in Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith and both of those players have the chance to put up solid numbers. Last week Boldin had four catches for 36 yards and he has continued to be steady for the Niners, making at least 80 catches and going over 1000 yards in back to back seasons.
