Sep 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Shaun Draughn (20) walks off the field before the game against the Tennessee Titans at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Shaun Draughn appeared in five games with Cleveland earlier this season. Scott R. Galvin USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers' newly signed running back duo went through a second practice Thursday as they try to learn the offense in advance of Sunday's matchup against the visiting Atlanta Falcons.
With starting running back Carlos Hyde missing practice for a second straight day, it appears increasingly likely that Shaun Draughn and Pierre Thomas will see a heavy workload on Sunday. Kendall Gaskins, promoted from the practice squad on Saturday, also is available.
Draughn, who was released by the Cleveland Browns this season, is used to taking crash courses in learning new offenses, having been on the active roster of seven different teams.
"I've been in a lot of different systems," Draughn said. "Everybody runs pretty much the same (things). It's just a matter of what dose they're running it. Are they running it a majority of the time or what?"
Draughn had his best season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012, rushing for 233 yards on 59 carries and catching 24 passes. While Draughn has bounced around with several teams, Thomas played all eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints.
Thomas rushed for a career-best 793 yards in 2009 and has a lifetime average of 4.6 yards per carry, but he's also been a big pass-catching threat coming out of the backfield. Thomas caught 211 passes in his final four seasons with the Saints, including a career-high 77 in 2013.
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