49ers Depth Chart, Fantasy Outlook After Brian Robinson Jr. Trade to Join McCaffrey

The San Francisco 49ers reportedly made a major addition to their running back room on Friday, acquiring Brian Robinson Jr. from the Washington Commanders in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

With Robinson presumably coming in to be the 49ers' No. 2 running back, here is a look at their updated offensive depth chart:

QB: Brock Purdy / Mac Jones / Carter Bradley / Nate Sudfeld

RB: Christian McCaffrey / Brian Robinson Jr. / Isaac Guerendo / Jordan James/ Corey Kiner / Jeff Wilson / Ke'Shawn Vaughn

FB: Kyle Juszczyk

WR: Jauan Jennings / Jacob Cowing / Russell Gage Jr. / Terique Owens / Malik Turner

WR: Ricky Pearsall / Demarcus Robinson / Jordan Watkins / Junior Bergen / Isaiah Hodgins / Robbie Chosen

TE: George Kittle / Luke Farrell / Jake Tonges / Brayden Willis

LT: Trent Williams / Spencer Burford / Isaiah Prince

LG: Ben Bartch / Nick Zakelj / Connor Colby

C: Jake Brendel / Matt Hennessy / Drake Nugent

RG: Dominick Puni / Drew Moss

RT: Colton McKivitz / Austen Pleasants / Isaac Alarcon

While Robinson provides much-needed insurance behind Christian McCaffrey and could vulture some short-yardage and goal-line opportunities, McCaffrey still projects as a first-round pick in most fantasy football formats.

McCaffrey was a league winner two seasons ago as the No. 1 overall player in fantasy football, finishing with 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, and 67 receptions for 564 yards and another seven scores.

As a result, he was the consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy last season, but an Achilles injury that was much worse than the Niners initially let on kept him out until Week 10.

Then, McCaffrey injured his knee in his fourth game of the season, and he was shut down for the remainder of the campaign after that.

All told, McCaffrey finished with 202 rushing yards, 15 catches for 146 yards and no touchdowns in four contests.

There is perhaps some apprehension among fantasy managers to spend a first-round pick on McCaffrey this year after he burned so many last year, but every indication is that he is back to full health.

Also, other key offensive weapons for the 49ers are banged up, such as wide receiver Jauan Jennings with a calf injury and wideout Brandon Aiyuk, who head coach Kyle Shanahan said may not be ready to play until Week 6 as he continues to recover from a torn ACL.

When McCaffrey was out last season, Jordan Mason thrived, rushing for 789 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games, including three starts, but he signed with the Minnesota Vikings during the offseason.

That left 2024 fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo as McCaffrey's presumed backup after he impressively rushed for 420 yards and four touchdowns on just 84 carries as a rookie.

However, Robinson's arrival just about makes Guerendo undraftable in fantasy aside from the deepest of leagues.

Meanwhile, Robinson has gone from an NFL starting running back worth picking in the sixth- to eighth-round range to a fantasy handcuff, albeit one of the best and most valuable ones in the league.

Originally a third-round pick by the Commanders in the 2022 NFL draft, Robinson rushed for between 733 and 799 yards in each of his three seasons in Washington.

Last season was the best of his career from a rushing perspective with 799 yards, eight touchdowns and a yards-per-carry average of 4.3, but he made just 20 catches for 159 yards and no scores after recording 36 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 2023.

Barring an injury to McCaffrey, Robinson doesn't figure to be highly involved in the passing game in San Francisco either, which severely caps his fantasy value.

As for McCaffrey, he could see Robinson steal some touchdowns on occasion, but Robinson feels to be more of a backup than part of a true tandem, meaning McCaffrey is still worth taking in the middle of the first round in fantasy drafts for those willing to bet on him staying healthy.

When it comes to the rest of the 49ers, George Kittle is an elite tight end worth a third- or fourth-round fantasy pick, wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall are high-upside targets in the sixth-to-eighth-round range and quarterback Brock Purdy is one of the better bets among late-round picks at the position.