Ever since their blockbuster trade for All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey back in 2022, the San Francisco 49ers have essentially had a revolving door for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
And it didn't matter much anyway, aside from McCaffrey's injury-plagued 2024 campaign that forced the Niners to rotate through several tailbacks amid a slew of more injuries.
Rookie Kaelon Black might've changed all that, and the evidence is ample after just one game.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan had previously been notorious for relying too much on McCaffrey, but that trend shifted in Week 1's Australia-based victory over the Los Angeles Rams—Black had 14 carries to McCaffrey's 10, although the latter notched an additional five receptions.
The load distribution is a stark contrast to how Shanahan previously spelled McCaffrey, and the net results were positive, too. While McCaffrey averaged 6.8 yards per rush, Black was equally impressive with 4.6.
Not only does that help vindicate Shanahan and the 49ers after being accused of reaching on Black in Round 3 of last April's NFL Draft, but it also sets up an awfully promising future that will further justify the draft selection.
Kaelon Black is swiftly proving 49ers right for drafting him
Backup running backs have rarely had much staying power in Shanahan's offense, especially behind McCaffrey.
But Black already appears to be changing the narrative there.
"Black has the trust of Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner," team insider Matt Barrows of The Athletic wrote. "The last time you could say that about a rookie tailback was 2021, when Elijah Mitchell got 19 carries in the season opener [after Raheem Mostert suffered a serious injury]."
That alone puts Black into a rarely occupied category on the depth chart. And it's even more exceptional for a rookie.
But the split-use between Black and CMC is commendable, too. It'd be one thing if Black had four or five carries throughout the course of the game, while McCaffrey commanded the lion's share. Yet Shanahan employed a one-two rotation between the rushers, which also strays from what the coach had done in previous years.
Looking at both the tape and the stats, Black delivered.
In the immediate future, Black's payoff should help keep McCaffrey fresh over the 17-game season and (hopefully) into the playoffs. Beyond that, in light of CMC being on the wrong side of 30 years old, the Niners are potentially looking at a succession plan on the ground.
Where are all those critics who blasted San Francisco for drafting Black so early now?
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