Niners RB Christian McCaffrey played a season-low 51.5% of snaps in Sunday's loss to the Falcons, thanks to a first-half thigh injury that cost him a chunk before allowing a return. Rookie RB Kaelon Black took advantage, logging a team-high 12 carries for 63 yards. Black also managed 1 catch on 3 targets while running 12 routes to McCaffrey's 27. Black lost 4 yards on that reception.
What They're Saying
JJ Zachariason: "Kaelon Black has run 41 routes for the 49ers this year and has seen 6 targets, 3 catches, and 4 receiving yards. Among backs with 40 or more routes, his yards per route run ranks 57th out of 57."
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Receiving Would be the Area to Watch
Given that McCaffrey returned from his injury in the second half of the Atlanta game, we should certainly expect him to be ready to play on the other side of the bye. So any consideration for Black remains longer-term.
The rookie has looked effective on the ground, averaging 4.1 yards per carry to McCaffrey's 4.6 with a 57.9% success rate slightly ahead of McCaffrey's 57.1%.
But Black's also averaging just 1.3 yards per catch after a college run that included just 8 catches over his two Indiana seasons.
Black fared much better at James Madison -- 44 receptions at 9.8 yards per catch across two years -- and sits way ahead of Jordan James as the No. 2 RB in passing-game usage this season.
So we'd likely see Black as the primary guy in all phases if McCaffrey were to go down. Just beware of the receiving limitations he has shown so far for projecting and lineup-setting purposes should we get into that situation.
