Matt Breida

After a few good seasons in San Francisco to begin his career, Breida has become a journeyman, spending 2020 in Miami before landing with Buffalo in 2021. The speedy Georgia Southern product saw only 12 offensive snaps through the first nine weeks last year before getting a little work in the middle of the season, amassing 172 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns over a three-game stretch. Breida faded from relevance again after that, as Devin Singletary seized the lead role in the Bills backfield, but it was enough to earn Breida a modest one-year contract with the Giants after they released Devontae Booker. New York could be a good spot for Breida to rehabilitate his value and earn a slightly larger deal next offseason, considering Saquon Barkley looked like a shell of his old self last year while 2021 sixth-round pick Gary Brightwell mostly played special teams.

Breida is probably looking at the No. 3 running back role on a deep Bills team, but it's not like Devin Singletary or Zack Moss wowed last season, so the speedy veteran will certainly get his share of chances after running for 254 yards and a 4.3 average on 59 carries with the Dolphins last season. Assuming Breida does make the final roster, the Buffalo running back group is starting to look like a true committee heading into the 2021 campaign. Breida's wheels could help him emerge as a change-of-pace option in that context.

For the second consecutive season, Breida topped 5.0 yards per carry as part of the 49ers' dynamic running attack while also having trouble staying healthy, missing three midseason games with an ankle injury. Once Breida returned, Raheem Mostert had usurped his spot in the pecking order, and Breida failed to get more than 12 snaps in a game from Week 14 through the Super Bowl. Breida received a second-round restricted free-agent tender early in the offseason, but he was then traded to Miami for a fifth-round pick on Day 3 of the draft. Heading into his fourth season, the 25-year-old remains explosive, having recorded the top speed of any ballcarrier in 2019 when he hit 22.3 mph on an 83-yard touchdown run in Week 5. His smaller frame at 5-10, 190, and durability issues likely will limit his workload with his new team, and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's scheme will be a downgrade from Kyle Shanahan's, but with Jordan Howard around to handle the heavy lifting between the tackles, Breida should still do some damage as the lightning to Howard's thunder. The Dolphins did trade for Lynn Bowden just prior to the regular season, and the rookie third-round pick possesses traits as a gadget player and potential change-of-pace option, but Breida's job should be his to lose.

The backfield's getting crowded in San Francisco. Tevin Coleman joined the 49ers this offseason from the Falcons, and Jerick McKinnon should be recovered from the torn ACL that wiped out his 2018, but Breida could still see a sizable role thanks to the one trait he possesses that Kyle Shanahan prizes above all others - blazing speed. The third-year back's 22.09 mph top speed on a touchdown run in Week 12 was the fastest recorded in the league last year, and his 5.3 YPC and 8.4 YPT placed him among the league leaders at running back. The 49ers' decision to load up on backfield talent might end up being a necessary measure, as McKinnon has dealt with some hiccups late in the rehab process, leaving him as a question mark for the upcoming season. At 5-10, 190, Breida isn't built to take frequent pounding between the tackles, but as long as the scheme finds ways to get the ball in his hands in space, he shouldn't need a lot of touches to rack up useful production.

An undrafted rookie free agent last year, Breida fell into the No. 2 spot on the 49ers' depth chart early last season and held his own. Checking in at 5-10, 190, the scatback ran a blistering 4.37 40-yard dash at his pro day, and while his speed didn't translate into huge gains as a rookie - he managed only two runs of 20 yards or more on 105 carries - he did show the toughness to run between the tackles on occasion while posting 4.4 YPC. With Jerick McKinnon out for the season, opportunity knocks for both Breida and Alfred Morris. Look for the 49ers to ride the hot hand out of the gate, but McKinnon's injury transforms Breida from a late-round flyer to a vital part of an offense with some upside.

The undrafted rookie out of Georgia Southern was picked up to provide depth at the running back position for the 49ers. Standing at just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, what Breida lacks in size he makes up for in the speed department (4.37 40 time during his pro day). He emerged as a surprise favorite for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart late in the preseason, with his spot seemingly confirmed when the Niners cut Tim Hightower and placed Joe Williams on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Breida profiles as Carlos Hyde's top backup -- a role that could potentially include regular passing-down snaps.