Frank Gore has been the guy at running back for San Francisco since his emergence in 2005, but now things are become a little more muddied as Gore approaches the final year of his contract with plenty of talented backs behind him on the depth chart.
Gore enjoyed another stellar year for the 49ers - rushing for over 1,000 yards for the third straight campaign - and will definitely be back in 2014, although the Niners may look to reduce the $6.45million salary he is set to earn next season.
The 49ers all-time leading rusher scored nine touchdowns in regular season and found the endzone once in the playoffs. However, a few teams, predominantly the Seattle Seahawks, were able to slow the 30-year-old down and minimalise his impact.
Yet Gore remains one of the better backs in the NFL; he is adept at running in-between the tackles; regularly demonstrates superb patience and is known for making a considerable impact late in games.
That final quality was evidenced in both the week 14 win over Seattle and in the Divisonal Playoff triumph against the Carolina Panthers, which both saw Gore break huge late runs to ice the game.
However, it is becoming more and more apparent that Gore needs one of the plethora of other San Francisco backs to share the load on a more regular basis.
Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James and Anthony Dixon have all filled in for Gore in relief over the past two seasons, but the latter duo, whose playing time has come mainly through special teams, have become increasingly vocal about their lack of opportunities on offense.
Add in the return to fitness of Marcus Lattimore - drafted in the fourth round by the 49ers in 2013 but kept off the active roster due to a knee ligament injury - and the 49ers backfield is starting to look a little crowded.
The South Carolina product is expected to be healthy for the 2014 season and is seen by many as the eventual replacement for Gore, who also suffered a serious knee injury during his college career.
Lattimore was excellent in his career with the Gamecocks, rushing for over 2500 yards through three seasons and totalling 41 total touchdowns.
His comeback would leave five backs competing for playing time should all return, but it appears unlikely that Dixon, scheduled to be a free agent, will be coming back.
Dixon has been a valuable special teams contributor and also filled in at fullback in the absence of the injured Bruce Miller in the playoffs.
Still, with the versatile Miller signed through 2015, throwing money at Dixon should not be a priority for the 49ers in the off-season.
Meanwhile, Hunter and James are contracted until 2015 and 2016 respectively, and both undoubtedly have the talent to make an impact in the NFL.
James solidified the Niners kick-return game in the second half of the 2013 season and, although he has barely featured on offense, the 2012 second round pick's speed is an obvious asset to the 49ers.
Hunter, by contrast, has served as a dependable backup, rushing for over 1200 yards in reserve in his three seasons with the team.
Much will depend on whether Lattimore impresses in the lead up to the 2014 campaign but, with Gore's 49ers career potentially coming to an end after the 2014 season, it is time for one of the reserve backs to stake a claim to inherit his position in the near future.
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