The San Francisco 49ers will start rookie running back Isaac Guerendo in Week 14 in a must-win game against the Chicago Bears, and confidence within the locker room is high.

The 49ers have been dealing with injury problems all season, and went into the year without their top running back threats, Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell. McCaffrey returned from Achilles tendonitis in Week 10 but has since been placed back on IR after suffering a PCL injury during the Week 13 defeat against the Buffalo Bills.

Mitchell was ruled out for the whole season after suffering a hamstring injury in August, which gave Jordan Mason a huge opportunity to prove himself. That he did, with 789 yards and three touchdowns, but Mason has also been ruled out through injury following the defeat to Buffalo.

That leaves Guerendo as the next man up, a fourth-round pick (129th overall) out of Louisville who has already shown his ability when given reps this season. Not only is there unwavering confidence that Guerendo can be a serious threat, he’s also been compared to former 49ers running back Raheem Mostert, who led the NFL in rushing touchdowns last season.

“We have all the belief in Isaac, I mean the speed of him,” offensive lineman Colton McKivitz told Mirror U.S. Sports. “We saw in Seattle, him and (Jordan) Mason were both going at it. So to have Guerendo, a young physical back, kinda reminds us a lot of Raheem (Mostert).

“Runs kind of upright like him and has the getaway speed, and that’s really nice to have just because he hits it. Take away the thinking and let him run, that’s fun to block for.”

Guerendo also impressed cornerback Deommodore Lenoir during that game in Seattle, as he added: “He’s played a big part for us this season already, with the game in Seattle. He’s had a lot of big runs for us. We are all-in with him.”

Guerendo surpassed 100 scrimmage yards and scored a touchdown in Week 8.

Guerendo surpassed 100 scrimmage yards and scored a touchdown in Week 8. ( 

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2024 Getty Images)

The rookie has 246 rushing yards this season, but 99 of those came during a breakthrough game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6. Guerendo was then limited to just one carry the following week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Guerendo surpassed 100 scrimmage yards that game with 85 on carries and 17 in the air, and he scored his second touchdown last week after coming in for the injured McCaffrey and Mason. The 49ers are 5-7 and need to beat the Bears on Sunday to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but the whole locker room is confident Guerendo can show his ability through the final five weeks.

“We all fully support Isaac, he started before Christian got back and got rolling a little bit,” said tight end Jake Tonges. “Had some good games, played really well in the Cowboys game especially. I think he’s got all the ability to do it, and I’m excited to see him go out there and do it. We are fully behind him and going to be playing hard for him.”