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One of the big talking points of the San Francisco 49ers' offseason revolves around running back Christian McCaffrey. While the star player is healthy and ready to roll in Year 10, head coach Kyle Shanahan has talked about lessening the veteran's workload in 2026, which means more work for whomever takes the RB2 role this year.
That position battle is one of the more intriguing ones of the offseason, but NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan believes third-round rookie Kaelon Black is at an advantage in taking the backup role to help spell McCaffrey because he is built similarly to the 49ers starter.
She noted that McCaffrey's 2025 backup, Brian Robinson Jr. doesn't have the same skillset McCaffrey does and therefore couldn't execute the offense to the same degree when the 49ers wanted to give their starter a break.
"So, when Kyle Shanahan would call plays and Christian McCaffrey wasn't out there, they were trying to give him a break, I think more than once, Kyle Shanahan was like, 'He's got to go back in there,'" she said. "Now, I think this year, having Kaelon Black, I mean, he's a guy who we've seen already through OTAs catching passes. He's not a huge guy, but what we've seen so far is that his catch radius is pretty good. I mean, I've seen him make a couple of fingertip catches already through OTAs. Maybe passes that weren't completely on target, but he's gone for them and hauled them in. So, he's going to become, I mean, it looks like, a reliable pass catcher also as you know, who's a running back as well."
McCaffrey put together an MVP-caliber campaign last season, but it came at a steep price with a grueling 413 total touches. As the 49ers look to preserve their superstar back for another deep postseason run, the battle for the RB2 spot has become the most critical storyline of the summer. Enter rookie Kaelon Black, who is quickly emerging as a fascinating solution to the team's backfield depth issues.
The 49ers rated Black highly in the pre-draft process, indicating their intent to give him good opportunities as a rookie. However, Shanahan has complicated history with drafted running backs: The 49ers have spent premium draft capital on third-round running backs like Trey Sermon (2021) and Tyrion Davis-Price (2022), both of whom failed to master the playbook or win the trust of the coaching staff, ultimately resulting in early exits from Santa Clara. Unlike those structural power-backs, Black offers a versatile, three-down skillset that perfectly mirrors what the 49ers look for in an offensive weapon.
"I think he gives them a really good chance to be able to be a three-down backup for McCaffrey," Chan explained. "Meaning the same kinds of plays that McCaffrey can run, Kaelon Black can run. So, I think that Kaelon Black does have a chance to emerge quickly as the number two guy and win the trust of the coaching staff."
If Black can prove himself as a reliable pass-catcher and pass-protector, Shanahan won't have to alter his entire play-calling sheet when McCaffrey goes to the sideline. Keeping McCaffrey fresh is paramount, and Black's development could be the key to unlocking that balance.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Insider explains how 49ers rookie is primed for big role in 2026
Continue reading...
That position battle is one of the more intriguing ones of the offseason, but NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan believes third-round rookie Kaelon Black is at an advantage in taking the backup role to help spell McCaffrey because he is built similarly to the 49ers starter.
She noted that McCaffrey's 2025 backup, Brian Robinson Jr. doesn't have the same skillset McCaffrey does and therefore couldn't execute the offense to the same degree when the 49ers wanted to give their starter a break.
"So, when Kyle Shanahan would call plays and Christian McCaffrey wasn't out there, they were trying to give him a break, I think more than once, Kyle Shanahan was like, 'He's got to go back in there,'" she said. "Now, I think this year, having Kaelon Black, I mean, he's a guy who we've seen already through OTAs catching passes. He's not a huge guy, but what we've seen so far is that his catch radius is pretty good. I mean, I've seen him make a couple of fingertip catches already through OTAs. Maybe passes that weren't completely on target, but he's gone for them and hauled them in. So, he's going to become, I mean, it looks like, a reliable pass catcher also as you know, who's a running back as well."
McCaffrey put together an MVP-caliber campaign last season, but it came at a steep price with a grueling 413 total touches. As the 49ers look to preserve their superstar back for another deep postseason run, the battle for the RB2 spot has become the most critical storyline of the summer. Enter rookie Kaelon Black, who is quickly emerging as a fascinating solution to the team's backfield depth issues.
The 49ers rated Black highly in the pre-draft process, indicating their intent to give him good opportunities as a rookie. However, Shanahan has complicated history with drafted running backs: The 49ers have spent premium draft capital on third-round running backs like Trey Sermon (2021) and Tyrion Davis-Price (2022), both of whom failed to master the playbook or win the trust of the coaching staff, ultimately resulting in early exits from Santa Clara. Unlike those structural power-backs, Black offers a versatile, three-down skillset that perfectly mirrors what the 49ers look for in an offensive weapon.
"I think he gives them a really good chance to be able to be a three-down backup for McCaffrey," Chan explained. "Meaning the same kinds of plays that McCaffrey can run, Kaelon Black can run. So, I think that Kaelon Black does have a chance to emerge quickly as the number two guy and win the trust of the coaching staff."
If Black can prove himself as a reliable pass-catcher and pass-protector, Shanahan won't have to alter his entire play-calling sheet when McCaffrey goes to the sideline. Keeping McCaffrey fresh is paramount, and Black's development could be the key to unlocking that balance.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Insider explains how 49ers rookie is primed for big role in 2026
Continue reading...
