Kaelon Black
Running Back
Kaelon Black News
Kaelon Black Remains a Top Waiver Wire Stash Ahead of Week 10
Across eight games in 2026, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black has recorded 68 carries for 303 yards and a touchdown. The 25-year-old has been productive on his opportunities, but his workload has been limited by the presence of star 49ers back Christian McCaffrey. As long as McCaffrey remains healthy, Black's production upside is capped. However, Black remains a high-end handcuff running back option for fantasy managers to stash off the waiver wire. He's also provided some standalone value in recent weeks, recording 23 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown over San Francisco's last two games. The 49ers could find themselves in a high-scoring affair in Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys, which could put Black in position to see double-digit touches for a third straight game. In any league where he remains unrostered, Black profiles as a worthy waiver wire addition ahead of Week 10.
Nov 14, 2026 5:00 AM EST
Kaelon Black A Deep League Flex Candidate In Potential Shootout
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black handled 11 carries for a season-high 70 yards last week against the Raiders, outgaining starter Christian McCaffrey on the ground. It was the second time in as many games that the rookie outgained CMC on the ground, and the fourth time overall. Black's 29.1% rush share in the 49ers' backfield is among the highest in the NFL among non-starting running backs, and he is making good use of his opportunities, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. San Francisco's offense should be in a high gear again in the Week 10 matchup with the Cowboys. Dallas has given up 129.7 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to running backs over the last three weeks and has allowed the fourth-most explosive runs this season. Black is projected as a back-end RB3 in Week 10 and can be started in deeper leagues.
Nov 13, 2026 7:17 PM EST
Kaelon Black Continues to Carve Out Role Behind McCaffrey
San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black had 11 carries for 70 yards in the 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. While starter Christian McCaffrey played and produced again, the rookie continues to factor in, totaling 33 touches over his last three games. In eight games this season, Black has 68 carries for 303 yards and a touchdown, with minimal production in the receiving game. Although McCaffrey is on pace for another elite season, his injury history and heavy workload raise concerns about his overall fantasy value. At this point, Black is a low-end FLEX play at best, but he should be rostered as one of the best handcuff options among backup running backs.
Nov 9, 2026 4:51 AM EST
Kaelon Black Leads 49ers in Rushing in Blowout Win Over Raiders
San Francisco 49ers rookie third-round running back Kaelon Black had double-digit carries for the second straight week behind starter Christian McCaffrey and led the team in rushing in their 38-17 blowout win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in Week 9 at Levi's Stadium. Black handled 11 carries for a team-high 70 yards (6.4 yards per carry) but was not involved in the passing game. Meanwhile, McCaffrey had a team-high 18 rushing attempts for 68 yards (3.8 yards per attempt) and one touchdown, while adding two catches on three targets for 19 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. The 25-year-old Black is San Francisco's clear RB2 back, but he was more efficient than CMC against the Raiders, and his increasing involvement in the team's backfield makes him a fantasy handcuff at RB that should no longer be ignored. Black now has double-digit carries and at least 63 rushing yards in two straight games, giving him some flex appeal in fantasy lineups for a juicy Week 10 matchup on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. As we head into Week 10, Black is still rostered in under 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Nov 8, 2026 6:02 PM EST
Kaelon Black a Top-End Handcuff
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black may not be a useful fantasy start in Week 9, but presents as an excellent stash candidate off waivers, particularly for Christian McCaffrey owners. Black handled a heavier workload in San Francisco's Week 7 loss to Atlanta while McCaffrey battled an injury. Coming out of their bye, the latter appears healthy despite being listed as a DNP on Wednesday and should resume his role as the unquestioned workhorse. That said, there are still reasons to scoop the rookie up as we head into the back half of the campaign. For starters, the team may choose to manage McCaffrey's reps if he isn't truly healthy. Moreover, any aggravation of the injury would thrust Black into a substantial role in one of the league's top attacks. Despite no immediate standalone value, the third-round pick of April's draft draws appeal as a high-upside bench asset.
Nov 7, 2026 9:05 PM EST
Kaelon Black Should Regress In Week 9, Still A Must-Stash Handcuff
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black had his most productive game of the season in Week 7. Black saw a significant bump in usage with Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) managing an in-game injury. The rookie was on the field for almost 50% of the 49ers' offensive snaps and handled 12 carries for 63 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown against the Falcons. McCaffrey is off the injury report for San Francisco's Week 9 matchup with the Raiders, so Black's snap share will likely shrink, but he could still have an impact in a change-of-pace role. Las Vegas is allowing 5.31 yards per carry to opposing running backs and is tied for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns allowed to the position. Black projects as an RB4, so his fantasy utility in Week 9 is better suited for deep leagues, but his elite handcuff status makes him a must-stash everywhere else.
Nov 7, 2026 12:45 AM EST
Kaelon Black Offers High-Upside Handcuff Value
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black deserves consideration on the Week 9 waiver wire after showing what he can provide when Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) is sidelined. Black rushed 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's Week 7 loss to Atlanta, including a 30-yard scoring run. He played a season-high 47% of the offensive snaps while McCaffrey missed much of the first half, although Black also lost a fumble and caught just one of three targets for negative-four yards. The rookie has totaled 233 rushing yards on 57 carries this season and is listed directly behind McCaffrey on the 49ers' depth chart. Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed optimism that McCaffrey would return from his mild hamstring strain following the Week 8 bye, potentially limiting Black's immediate opportunities against Las Vegas. Still, Black's position in the backfield makes him a worthwhile insurance stash in leagues with 10 or more teams, particularly for managers with room to carry a backup running back.
Nov 2, 2026 6:40 AM EST
Kaelon Black Worth Stashing Off the Waiver Wire Through Week 8 Bye
San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black had the best game of his young career in Week 7, recording 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown in his team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Black's fantasy upside is limited by the presence of star 49ers back Christian McCaffrey (thigh). Still, Black has seen relatively consistent work in a secondary role this season, recording 57 carries for 223 yards and a touchdown across seven games. McCaffrey also suffered a thigh injury in Week 7. Both he and the team have downplayed the injury, and the 49ers have their bye in Week 8, so McCaffrey may not miss any time. However, even a small increase in Black's touches coming out of the bye could put him in flex range for fantasy managers in the right matchups. Of course, if McCaffrey were to be sidelined for any reason, Black would be a must-start running back. Black should be rostered across almost all fantasy formats coming out of Week 7.
Oct 26, 2026 12:18 PM EST
Kaelon Black Sees Increased Opportunity in Loss
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black struggled early on during Sunday's game, but he was able to turn it around. Black was stopped on three straight plays inside the three-yard line on the first drive of the game. He was pretty quiet in this game until Christian McCaffrey (thigh) was forced to exit during the first half. Black took over the lead back role for a period of time and posted some decent numbers. Overall, Black carried the ball 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons. McCaffrey returned in the second half of this game, so he should be fine moving forward. Black remains one of the better handcuffs heading into the team's Week 8 bye.
Oct 25, 2026 2:35 PM EST
Kaelon Black a Top Handcuff to Roster in Fantasy Football
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black currently lacks standalone value in his role as the No. 2 ball-carrier behind Christian McCaffrey. However, he is one of the league's highest-upside handcuffs because of how much his value would rise if McCaffrey were to miss any time. McCaffrey had 25 touches last week, including nine receptions. While Black may not quite handle that many touches in this hypothetical jump to the No. 1 spot on the depth chart, he would absolutely be the lead-back option ahead of Jordan James, who hasn't played an offensive snap since Week 2. Black has been much more involved to this point, amassing 45 carries, 170 rushing yards, two catches, and eight receiving yards. Evidently, while Black would take on a lot of McCaffrey's hypothetically vacated rushing attempts, the 25-year-old rookie doesn't have much appeal in the passing game, and so he'd have less value and a lower floor in PPR leagues compared to half-PPR and standard formats.
Oct 24, 2026 6:45 PM EST
Kaelon Black Likely to See Limited Workload in Week 7
Across six games in 2026, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black has recorded 45 carries for 170 yards and two catches for eight yards on three targets. While Black has seen at least six carries in all but one of the 49ers' games this season, his production upside is capped by the presence of star San Francisco back Christian McCaffrey. In Week 7, the 49ers will take on the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta has fielded a strong run defense in 2026, ranking sixth in the NFL in both yards per carry allowed (3.6) and total rushing yards allowed (499). Black remains a priority handcuff running back option for fantasy managers to stash in a bench spot. However, with McCaffrey entering the game fully healthy, Black is hard to trust as a starter in Week 7.
Oct 24, 2026 6:08 AM EST
Kaelon Black Remains a High-Upside Waiver Wire Handcuff
San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black remains a high-upside handcuff after rushing eight times for 34 yards in Monday's win over Washington. Black handled 26.8% of the team's rushing attempts, up from his 21.1% average share during Weeks 2-5. Christian McCaffrey remains the clear lead back, limiting Black's immediate fantasy value. However, the rookie has established himself as San Francisco's primary backup and could inherit a substantial workload if McCaffrey misses time. Black is rostered in just 28% of Yahoo leagues, making him an appealing stash for fantasy managers seeking high-upside running back insurance.
Oct 20, 2026 6:31 AM EST
Kaelon Black Could See More Work In Mismatch
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black hasn't seen much work as the team's change-of-pace back lately. The rookie wowed in Week 1, handing x carries for x yards but has averaged x and x in the four games since. The disparity between the 49ers and Commanders in their Week 6 meeting could put more on Black's plate. If the 49ers get out to an early lead, they are more likely to preserve Christian McCaffrey and give more work to Black as we saw in Week 1. The Commanders' run defense has been stout, allowing the sixth-fewest rushing yards to running backs, but the 49ers' improved run blocking in 2026 has led to 4.6 yards per attempt. Black projects as an RB4/5 in Week 6. While he won't be suitable to start in most leagues, his upside makes him an option in deep leagues that may need a solution as a bye-week streamer.
Oct 17, 2026 1:24 PM EST
Kaelon Black Potentially in Line for an Expanded Role
As injuries continue to mount for the San Francisco 49ers, rookie running back Kaelon Black could soon be tasked with handling a heavier workload, adding modest flex appeal to his potentially week-winning insurance value. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring), who has carried the ball nine times on the year, is the latest Niners player to succumb to injury, now expected to miss a handful of games with a hamstring injury. Through five weeks, Black has handled a 36.2% running back rush share, but with San Francisco's receiver room stretched so thin by injury, there is added potential for Black and Christian McCaffrey to share the field more frequently, with the latter split out wide. With four NFL teams on bye in Week 6, Black becomes a desperation flex option in deeper leagues and needs to be rostered in all formats.
Oct 13, 2026 9:13 AM EST
Kaelon Black Best Left On Bench In Week 5
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black (illness) showed promise as Christian McCaffrey's understudy in Week 1. In the season opener, the rookie handled 14 carries for 65 yards. His effectiveness seemed to open the door to a rotation to keep McCaffrey fresh, but Black has not seen more than seven carries in a game over the last three weeks. Black was limited in practice earlier this week by an illness, but he was a full participant on Thursday and Friday and has no designation for the 49ers' upcoming game against the Seahawks. Deep-league fantasy managers who are keeping weekly tabs on Black as an option should wait another week. Seattle is allowing the lowest rushing success rate and fourth-lowest EPA per rushing attempt. Black's opportunities to get on the field may also be limited in what is expected to be a hotly contested divisional matchup. Black is projected as an RB5 and should remain a bench stash for the time being.
Oct 10, 2026 1:59 AM EST
Kaelon Black Continues Seeing Reduced Role
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black got his career started great with 65 rushing yards on 14 attempts during the season opener. Since then, Black has carried the ball 17 times for 55 yards over the last three games. The rookie back has certainly taken a step back over the last few weeks. Fantasy managers were hopeful that Black would remain a 10-plus carry player every week, but that was unlikely to happen with Christian McCaffrey healthy right now. Black is still one of the better handcuffs to roster given McCaffrey's injury history. The 24-year-old isn't someone that should be started in fantasy formats given his recent struggles ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Oct 9, 2026 6:58 PM EST
Kaelon Black Remains an Appealing Running Back Stash on the Waiver Wire
Across the first four games of his NFL career, San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black has recorded 31 carries for 120 yards. Black's production upside in San Francisco is firmly capped by the presence of superstar 49ers back Christian McCaffrey. As long as McCaffrey remains healthy, Black is highly unlikely to provide fantasy managers with consistent production. However, Black has clearly established himself as San Francisco's RB2. McCaffrey is in his age-30 season, has a history of significant injuries, and is coming off an NFL-leading 413 touches in 2025. If McCaffrey were to get injured, Black could immediately vault into must-start running back status as the lead back in the potent 49ers offense. In fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams, Black remains a worthy waiver wire target.
Oct 5, 2026 12:36 PM EST
Kaelon Black's Playing Time At Risk
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black saw a healthy 38.5% snap share in the first two games of the season. The 49ers had both contests well in hand early on, allowing them to get Black involved frequently as a means of managing Christian McCaffrey's workload. When the Cardinals proved surprisingly pesky in Week 3, San Francisco leaned on their star at the expense of the rookie, who saw just eight snaps to CMC's 45. That pattern may follow in Week 4, when the 49ers take on the Denver Broncos, who have engineered fourth-quarter comebacks in each of the last two weeks. On the plus side, the Broncos have been soft against the run so far in 2026, giving up the third-highest yards per carry and highest EPA per rush attempt. Black is projected as a borderline RB4/5 for Week 4. Fantasy managers may want to look for an option with more certain playing time before plugging Black into their lineups.
Oct 2, 2026 11:57 PM EST
Kaelon Black Still a Valuable Insurance Back Despite Dwindling Usage
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black has seen his involvement dwindle week over week, but he remains one of the most valuable insurance backs in the league. After carrying the ball 14 times in the season opener, Black has logged only 11 carries over the past two outings, and he's a player to look out for as a potential post-waiver pickup. With injuries mounting and bye weeks approaching, Black could be dropped by managers facing a roster crunch, and while he may not have the standalone value implied by his Week 1 usage, he is still worthy of an end-of-bench spot. Over three games, he has racked up 107 rushing yards on his 25 carries, and he has weekly RB1 potential if All-Pro Christian McCaffrey were to miss time.
Sep 28, 2026 9:24 AM EST
Kaelon Black Could Get More Opportunities in Week 3 vs. Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black could be a sneaky fantasy asset in Week 3 against the visiting Arizona Cardinals. The rookie back is still looking for his first regular-season touchdown but has made the most of his opportunities thus far, logging 21 carries for 90 yards through his first two games. The 49ers are favored in Sunday's matchup and the Cardinals' defense is spotty, allowing 243 rushing yards over two games. An early advantage, especially on the ground, could lead San Francisco to ease off star RB Christian McCaffrey and give Black more opportunities. The Indiana product still doesn't play enough to be viable in redraft fantasy leagues, but has become a valuable stash in deeper formats.
Sep 25, 2026 2:55 PM EST
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