Kyle Juszczyk Should be a Focal Point in 49ers Game Plan Against Seattle

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk was given four carries and targeted two times in the 49ers' blowout win over the Patriots.

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk was given four carries and targeted two times in the 49ers' blowout win over the Patriots.

That is quite a workload for a guy who is already being asked to block what feels like 50 times a game. But this is a guy who the 49ers should implement more in their offense and it should start this Sunday. Juszczyk is a magical football player. He just makes things happen with or without the ball in his hands and he does it at such an elite level. 

Juszczyk should be a focal point in the 49ers game plan against Seattle.

There is no better game for him to continue to see opportunities with the ball in his hands than against Seattle's defense, which is average at best. The reason why he should be a focal point in the offense is because of the linebackers. The most glaring weakness in the linebackers' game for the Seahawks is undoubtedly in pass coverage. 

Yes, that includes Bobby Wagner who is more revered by his name and past accomplishments than his current gameplay. 

"I'm not the fullback that is going to tell you my favorite thing to do is to go block on fifty snaps a game," said Juszczyk at his presser on Friday regarding the touches he received in week 7. "I love touching the ball, and just my mentality since college is that the better I block and the more blocks I get the more opportunities I will get to touch the ball.

So for Kyle (Shanahan) to reward me like that last week and let me get carries and have some targets means everything to me. It fires me up. You can see me smiling every time I touch the ball and honestly it helps me on the next play if I need to go block cause I know the type of energy I get when I do get those type of opportunities."

This is why I say Juszczyk is magical. Just calling him a Swiss Army Knife is disrespectful because he is elite in every sense, even his mindset. The "energy" refers to is something Shanahan needs to tap into when they step onto CenturyLink Field. 

Juszczyk can easily take advantage of Wagner or K.J. Wright should any of these two players be given the task of guarding him. The last time the 49ers faced the Seahawks. Kyle Shanahan used Juszczyk on one pass play to exploit these linebackers and it worked wonderfully for a 49-yard gain. 

Shanahan could have easily dialed up Juszczyk's number again, but there is also the fatigue factor to weigh. That is the one downside that keeps Shanahan from utilizing Juszczyk more as the primary target for the ball. What he does to clear lanes for the running backs is purely artistic. Just watching him pancake defenders left and right should be considered an art form of its own. 

Look at what he did throughout the entire game against the Patriots. He was just on fire in that game and was a major reason why Jeff Wilson Jr. ran all over the Patriots defense.

So handling Juszczyk's snaps requires special care because of how impactful he is in the run game. But Sunday's matchup with the Seahawks is the one game where the 49ers can deviate from that mindset and make him a focal point. It is just too juicy of an opportunity and too much of a glaring weakness to not have Juszczyk take advantage of those linebackers. 

And the fact that Jerick McKinnon has "tired legs" is even more of a reason to have him be the go-to player in the backfield as a receiver target. 

The 49ers must not pull any punches against the Seahawks because they need to keep their winning streak going and knock the Seahawks off their high horse in the NFC West. Make Juszczyk a focal point in the offensive game plan and good things will happen this Sunday.