Corey

Kiner

Demercado failed to snag his only target and he was out-touched 6-to-5 by fellow backup RB Corey Kiner. Cardinals RB Michael Carter is the clear-cut starter and Kiner’s presence reduces Demercado’s bench-stash value. This looks like a three-player committee with one FLEX-viable player.

The Cardinals released RB Jermar Jefferson in a related move. We’d love to say this doesn’t matter, but sadly, all Cardinals running back news is real news. Kiner spent time with the 49ers in training camp before getting hurt, he was a priority UDFA signing this offseason. It’s possible he may be fantasy-relevant at some point given how banged up the Cardinals RB room is.

Taylor exited Saturday’s preseason game against the Raiders with the injury and did not return to the field. Rookie UDFA Corey Kiner also exited with a high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss a couple of weeks. The 49ers are already dealing with injuries to Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) and rookie Jordan James (knee). Behind Christian McCaffrey is journeyman Ke’Shawn Vaughn and the recently re-signed Jeff Wilson, who rushed for 8-16-1 against the Raiders while adding another catch for 16 yards. Both Vaughn and Wilson could spell McCaffrey in Week 1 against the Seahawks if Guerendo, James, and Taylor are all sidelined. That said, none of these players carry much fantasy upside.

Kiner is a UDFA from Cincinnati who has been impressing in Niners camp. The rookie broke off a 19-yard run in the second quarter and remained down after the play, only to later be carted from the field. While he’d typically be considered a long shot to make the roster, Kiner may have had an opening given the current state of the 49ers’ backfield. We’ll hopefully know more on his injury soon.

Though he played his freshman year at LSU, Kiner (5’9/209) made a name for himself with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Cincinnati. A steady runner, Kiner consistently moved the chains. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler describes Kiner as having “high-level contact balance” and notes he shows “better short-area quickness than true burst.” Kiner can fight through contact and finish runs, though he is less of a receiving back or home-run threat. He profiles as an early-down back who can contribute in a committee role at the NFL level if he secures a roster spot. He’ll have an uphill climb for a spot on the 53 as he chases fifth-rounder Jordan James and veteran Patrick Taylor.

Kiner (5'9"/217) was LSU’s second leading rusher last year behind Tyrion Davis-Price. He racked up 324 yards on 79 carries and scored two touchdowns. He was a four-star recruit in the 2021 class out of Cincinnati, Ohio, so it’s a homecoming for Kiner. He is described as a bruiser, a compact runner that will burst through the hole and won’t get taken down by arm tackles. He’ll be a worthy replacement for Jerome Ford and Cincinnati gets a great RB that they would struggle to get in actual recruiting

Kiner (5'9/217) was a four-star RB from the 2021 recruiting class, and put together a 79-323-2 rushing line with the Tigers as a true freshman. Now, with spring practices drawing to a close, Kiner has announced his intent to transfer. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Kiner could draw some serious attention in the portal as a former four-star back with several years of eligibility remaining.

Kiner picks the Tigers over schools like Cincinnati, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue and Louisville. The Cincinnati native is the first tailback to commit to the school since Kevin Faulk took over as RB coach, as pointed out by Brody Miller of The Athletic. He’s rated the seventh best player in the state of Ohio by 247Sports, and the 10th best running back overall. A scouting report from the recruiting website states that he’s not a burner, but can run through tackles and has quality vision. This is now the 10th known commit for Ed Orgeron and the Tigers in the 2021 class.

That would be this coming Monday, for those of you who have slowly begun to lose track of time while in quarantine. Kiner (5'9/209) had initially been planning on a July 4 pledge, but feels he has been able to do his due diligence even in the current dead period. The Cincinnati native is deciding between Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Texas A&M. Kiner has not been able to visit all of the programs in question, but is a bit more familiar with a few outfits thanks to previous visits, with Cincinnati, Michigan and Louisville among the programs he was able to check in with before things shut down in March. Rivals’ Josh Helmholdt tags the Bearcats and Cardinals as two teams which could be in strong potential positions with the four-star back as decision time creeps closer. Rivals ranks Kiner as the No. 117 overall prospect in the 2021 class.