CSN Bay Area

The 49ers did not employ a running-backs-by-committee approach in 2013.

In fact, the 49ers relied on veteran running back Frank Gore more than ever.

In Gore’s first season at the age of 30, he played more than 75 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps during the regular season. Gore rushed for 1,128 yards and nine touchdowns, but he was equally valuable to the 49ers as a blocker in passing situations.

According to figures obtained from the NFLPA, Gore played a career-high 77 percent of the 49ers’ snaps in 2006, his first year as a starter. The 49ers traded away Kevan Barlow during training camp, and Gore rushed for a career-high 1,695 yards that season.

Gore has played in all 16 games in each of Jim Harbaugh’s three seasons as coach. His play time has risen during that time from 66.96 percent in 2011 to 72.52 percent in 2012 to a full three-quarters of the play time.

Gore enters the final year of his contract and is scheduled to make $6.45 million in salary and bonuses in 2014. His level of play time points to how valuable the 49ers' offensive coaches consider Gore.

[RELATED: 49ers must explore options with Gore's contract]

Backup Kendall Hunter played just 19.17 percent of the time, down from 28 percent his rookie season. (He played just 11 games in 2012 due to a torn Achilles tendon.) LaMichael James saw just 28 total snaps on offense on the season.

Right guard Alex Boone was the only 49ers player on either side of the ball to play every snap. Boone, along with Anthony Davis, played every snap in 2012, too.

Offense play time
(991 offensive plays)
991 (100%) – G Alex Boone
976 (98.49%) – T Anthony Davis
971 (97.985) – C Jonathan Goodwin
969 (97.78%) – QB Colin Kaepernick
930 (93.84%) – T Joe Staley
811 (81.84%) – TE Vernon Davis
804 (81.13%) – WR Anquan Boldin
744 (75.08%) – RB Frank Gore
694 (70.03%) -- G Mike Iupati
520 (52.47%) – FB Bruce Miller
479 (48.34%) – TE Vance McDonald
363 (36.63%) – OL Adam Snyder
237 (23.92%) – WR Michael Crabtree
190 (19.17%) – RB Kendall Hunter
148 (14.93%) – WR Mario Manningham
123 (12.41%) – TE Garrett Celek
104 (10.49%) – WR Jon Baldwin
84 (8.48%) – OL Daniel Kilgore
80 (8.07%) – FB Anthony Dixon
69 (6.96%) – OL Joe Looney
60 (6.05%) – WR Quinton Patton
43 (4.34%) – WR Kassim Osgood
40 (4.04%) – TE Derek Carrier
28 (2.83%) – RB LaMichael James
24 (2.42%) – FB Will Tukuafu
22 (2.22%) – QB Colt McCoy
1 (0.1%) – FB Ian Williams