49ers give rookie Kaelon Black significant carries in Week 1 win over Rams
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 11, 2026, 7:07 PM
Last updated Sep 11, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers opened the 2026 NFL season with a victory over the Los Angeles Rams that featured a notable shift in backfield usage. While Christian McCaffrey remains a focal point, the team followed through on plans to manage his workload by integrating rookie Kaelon Black early in the game. Black entered the lineup on the team's fifth offensive snap and remained involved throughout the contest. By the end of the game, Black finished with 14 carries for 65 yards, exceeding the 10 carries for 68 yards recorded by McCaffrey. This approach marks a departure from 2025, when McCaffrey led the league in total touches and his primary backup rarely exceeded nine carries in a single game. Coach Kyle Shanahan continues to rely on McCaffrey, but the increased usage for Black suggests a sustained commitment to sharing the backfield load throughout the upcoming season.
- •Kaelon Black logged 14 carries for 65 yards in his professional debut.
- •Christian McCaffrey recorded 10 carries for 68 yards against the Los Angeles Rams.
- •The 49ers signaled a commitment to managing McCaffrey's high volume from previous seasons.
- •Black's usage represents a departure from the team's 2025 approach to backup running backs.
- 7:07 PMYahoo Sports — 49ers news: Week 1 destruction of Rams shows potential Christian McCaffrey save
"Maybe people are jumping on the San Francisco 49ers bandwagon a little early. And Christian McCaffrey didn’t have a great 2026 debut . However, the 49ers’ Week 1 destruction of the Rams featured a revelation that could save McCaffrey. The question is whether the 49ers have a running back they can trust other than McCaffrey, according to The […] The post 49ers news: Week 1 destruction of Rams shows potential Christian McCaffrey save appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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