Who Should I Start? Kaelon Black or Emmett Johnson

Thursday, July 9, 5:24 AM

After not even receiving an invite to the NFL Combine, the San Francisco 49ers selected running back Kaelon Black in the third round of the 2026 Draft, making him the third running back off the board, after only first-rounders Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. While head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have gotten uninspired returns from the running backs they've drafted in recent years, particularly those viewed as reaches by the draft community, as was Black, there is no denying the favorable situation the rookie finds himself in. Four-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey recently turned 30 and is coming off a season in which he touched the ball a career-high 450 times, and with Brian Robinson Jr. departing in free agency, Black's biggest competition for primary backup duties comes from 2025 fifth-rounder Jordan James. As a rookie, James did not register a single offensive stat until taking over late in the team's Divisional Round blowout loss to the Seahawks, but a year in the system could give him an early edge heading into 2026. While RotoBaller currently has neither ranked as a top 50 fantasy back for redraft leagues, the training camp battle between Black and James will be one to monitor, and should either gain a demonstrative edge, they will force their way into the late-round discussion for 2026 drafts.