Who Should I Start? Khalil Herbert or Gary Brightwell

Sunday, August 2, 5:20 PM

With injuries mounting in the San Francisco 49ers' backfield, the team has signed veteran Khalil Herbert to a one-year, $1.2 million contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Herbert worked out with the team last week alongside two other backs and was subsequently signed. Second-year running back Jordan James suffered a rib fracture and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks. Herbert is likely to serve as a camp body at running back, but he hopes to compete with rookie Kaelon Black and James for the RB2 spot behind star Christian McCaffrey once James returns from injury. McCaffrey appears likely to handle a heavy workload again, though the head coach, Kyle Shanahan, has said they are looking to manage his volume in 2026.