Sports

49ers Are Thinking Beyond Week 1 With Kaelon Black and Christian McCaffrey

Nairavoice · Sep 17, 2026 · 3 min read

The San Francisco 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams offered an early look at how the Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch want to manage Christian McCaffrey this season.

Kaelon Black did not simply receive extra carries because the 49ers had a comfortable lead. The rookie earned a meaningful role, and the team clearly wants to keep that option available.

49ers Have a Bigger Plan for Christian McCaffrey and Kaelon Black

The Niners ran the ball 30 times for 174 yards in its 27-7 victory over the Rams in Melbourne. Black led the backfield with 14 carries, while McCaffrey had 10. The rookie finished with 65 rushing yards and one catch for five yards, while McCaffrey added 68 rushing yards and five receptions for 20 yards.

“Kaelon earned that. When you have options you gotta split the carries. It’s hard to take Christian off the field. He doesn’t like coming off the field, but there’s a vision for how we want to do this and you want to keep people healthy. You want to keep people fresh for the season.”

John Lynch on the 49ers using Kaelon Black a lot in Week 1:

“Kaelon earned that. When you have options you gotta split the carries. It’s hard to take Christian off the field. He doesn’t like coming off the field, but there’s a vision for how we want to do this and you want to… pic.twitter.com/1VK0SbcceL

— Coach Yac (@Coach_Yac) September 17, 2026

That split was unusual for a 49ers offense built around McCaffrey; however, it wasn’t accidental. Lynch said the team wanted Black involved because he had earned the opportunity and because the coaching staff is thinking about the entire season rather than just one game.

Black’s role also gave the 49ers the kind of second running back it has struggled to establish beside McCaffrey. The 24-year-old missed part of training camp with an adductor injury, yet he still worked his way into the No. 2 spot before the opener.

Shanahan said Black’s preparation played a major part in that decision. The rookie showed that he understood the offense, stayed engaged even when he was not receiving reps, and earned the trust needed to handle more than just a few handoffs.

The performance was especially encouraging after the 49ers struggled to run the ball consistently in 2025. They averaged only 3.8 yards per carry last season, ranking 30th in the league. Against the Rams, the offense averaged 5.8 yards per attempt and repeatedly found room behind the offensive line.

Center Jake Brendel saw the success building during an 86-yard scoring drive. After Black broke off gains of nine and five yards, Brendel wanted the team to keep attacking on the ground.

McCaffrey also praised Black’s work, pointing to the rookie’s ability to run, catch, and block. That matters in Shanahan’s offense, where a backup cannot stay on the field if he only handles one part of the job.

The 49ers are not taking McCaffrey out of the center of their attack; however, they are giving themselves another way to use him while making sure Black continues to develop into a dependable part of the offense.