In terms of NFL apprenticeships, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black has an incredible opportunity in front of him to begin his career behind a likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer in Christian McCaffrey.
While he’s learning on the job, he might actually be able to serve another, bigger purpose — getting McCaffrey some much-needed breathers and helping his team win games.
It’s why Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport put Black atop his list of the NFL’s “Most Overlooked” rookie running backs after the 3rd-round pick (No. 90 overall) just helped lead Indiana to an undefeated season and College Football Playoff national championship.
“Christian McCaffrey topped 2,000 total yards for the 49ers last year, but he’s also a 30-year-old back coming off a season where he had a career-high 413 touches,” Davenport wrote on July 16. “After each of his first two 2,000-yard campaigns, he missed at least 13 games. If McCaffrey goes down, Black is going to be thrust into a prominent role—potentially as San Francisco’s lead back.”
Getting RB2 production out of Black would represent incredible value for the 49ers as he’s playing on a 4-year, $6.82 million rookie deal.
Kaelon Black’s Clear Pathway to RB2 Role
Black has a clear pathway to getting plenty of touches for the 49ers in 2026.
The 49ers lost last year’s 2nd-leading rusher and backup running back, Brian Robinson Jr., to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. San Francisco didn’t sign another running back in free agency, and Black was the only running back the franchise drafted.
The backup behind McCaffrey right now, according to the depth chart, is 2025 5th-round pick Jordan James, who played just 3 games his rookie season, and San Francisco’s 2024 4th-round pick, running back Isaac Guerendo, has reportedly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff after a promising rookie year.
“After the Niners used a fourth-round selection on Guerendo in 2024, he showed some promise in spot usage as a rookie,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote in April. “Last season, he didn’t get a single offensive touch, clearly falling down the depth chart. With second-year back Jordan James likely to get the first chance to back up Christian McCaffrey and Black entering the mix, Guerendo could be on the way out, whether via trade now or at cut-down day.”
Kaelon Black Outpaced NFL Draft Prediction
Black slightly outpaced his NFL Draft projections, where draft analyst Lance Zierlein predicted he would be a 5th- or 6th-round pick.
After starting his career with 3 seasons at James Madison, Black followed head coach Curt Cignetti from JMU to Indiana following the 2023 season and finished with 2 seasons for the Hoosiers, including a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2025 on the way to the national championship.
“Black split carries in Indiana’s downhill attack and generally kept the run on its designed track,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “He lacks ideal burst and utilizes too many stutter-steps in processing the run lane while headed to the hole. He’s not elusive inside but will add yards with his tackle-breaking and fall-forward running style. Black is a grinder with below-average third-down value, but he could create competition for a RB3/4 role in camp.”
49ers Draft Pick Called NFL’s ‘Most Overlooked’ Rookie RB