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Carlos Hyde on Verge of First 1,000-yard Season

Enjoy the best photographs of San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde's third season in the NFL.

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The list of 1,000-yard single-season rushers for the San Francisco 49ers runs 10 players deep.

Should he rush for 50 yards this Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, Pierre Garçon will be the 11th member of the franchise to join the 1,000-yard club. He would also be the first 49ers back to accomplish the feat since Frank Gore did so in 2014.

Hyde continues to maintain that winning is more important than reaching his personal goal of 1,000 yards in his third NFL season.

"I'm just trying to finish the season strong and that's just continuing to run hard, being decisive, and taking what he defense gives you," the 6-foot, 235 pound runner said on Wednesday.

Hyde's quest for 1K has amped up in recent weeks. He has rushed for 507 yards and has two touchdown catches out of the backfield in his past five games. Hyde produced a career-high 193 rushing yards against the New York Jets during that span.

The powerful runner added 13 carries for 71 yards in last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Coaches and teammates see Hyde improving over the course of what has been a trying season. Many pointed to Hyde's decisiveness as a runner and his growing understanding of San Francisco's offensive scheme.

"I just think he's gotten better over time," Chip Kelly said. "(He's) a very talented player. The more reps he gets at it, the more he sees it, the more comfortable he feels with it."

Colin Kaepernick echoed the words of his head coach, practically verbatim.

"He's a very talented running back," the 49ers signal-caller said. "When he has a lane, when he has a crease, he's very effective. (He's) very talented as far as being able to pick up pass protections and being on top of all of his assignments as well.

"That's something that he's becoming a true pro and being able to just handle everything that's thrown at him and being able to carry that workload."

While the 49ers were blanked on this year's Pro Bowl roster, Hyde joined left tackle Joe Staley as the team's only alternates for the NFL's annual All-Star game.

Hyde was not too pleased.

"I'm not satisfied being an alternate at all," he said.

Hyde didn't make a Pro Bowl selection a goal for the season. He listed winning games and reaching 1,000 yards as his benchmarks for success.

Hyde could check two of those boxes with a third straight victory over the Rams.

Gaining 50 yards against Los Angeles could be a challenge. The Rams have allowed 107.6 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 19th in the league. Los Angeles held Seattle Seahawks runner Thomas Rawls to 34 yards on 21 carries last week.

"I don't like to think ahead," Hyde said of the 1,000-yard mark. "I try to focus on winning, doing my job the best I can and let the yards come to me."

For Hyde, wins in the next two games is the key.

"You just try to stay positive," he said. "(You) come back to work, ready to prepare for the next opponent and you try to put the losses behind you. … Things will turn around definitely if we just keep fighting."

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