
SANTA CLARA – In Week 9 of the regular season, three running backs expected to play Sunday for the 49ers have been with the team for a grand total of one game.
The 49ers figure some combination of Kendall Gaskins, who was promoted Saturday from the practice squad to play against the St. Louis Rams, and veterans Pierre Thomas and Shaun Draughn will rotate into Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Gaskins has the head start on the others because he has been with the 49ers since signing with the practice squad 14 months ago.
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“Kendall has obviously been here all the way though,” 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said. “We know who he is and what he’s about and how he works, his intelligence, how good he is, and those things. He’s a bigger, thicker guy. He’s done very well.”
Thomas and Draughn have spent a lot of time this week with running backs coach Tom Rathman. Tomsula said neither player had a missed assignment during Thursday’s practice.
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“It’s definitely a grind, morning and night, meeting with my coach trying to catch up,” Draughn said.
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Draughn got a phone call from the 49ers on Sunday at around 6:30 p.m. He said he was on his way to the Bay Area at 9 p.m.
“This is my eighth team,” Draughn said. “I’ve been around a lot of systems. It’s a matter of trying to correlate everything I’ve learned before and relate it to what I’m doing now. If the coaches feel I’m ready, I’ll be ready. I’ve been putting in the time trying to get better and trying to learn the system.”
Draughn appeared in five games for the Cleveland Browns this season, playing mostly special teams. He gained 10 yards on two rushing attempts. Thomas has not played this season after spending his first eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints.
The 49ers this week placed running back Reggie Bush on injured reserve with a knee injury. Carlos Hyde (foot) and Mike Davis (hand) are not expected to be available for Sunday’s game. Jarryd Hayne remains on the practice squad.