It hasn’t taken long for injuries to become the biggest narrative surrounding the San Francisco 49ers this season. Heck, even their head coach is banged up and not fully at 100-percent health.
Pretty much anywhere you look on the roster there is cause for concern, but running back has been especially ravaged by injury. Four guys on the depth chart are out of practice due to ailments: Christian McCaffrey is dealing with “tightness,” whatever that means, Jordan James has a rib injury, Kaelon Black is banged up, and Isaac Guerendo is still injured.
The Niners brought in a couple of players for workouts on Monday, but there are some other options still available in free agency, though, whom they should bring in as they attempt to have adequate depth for the rest of training camp and the preseason.
Austin Ekeler
I’ve been pounding the Austin Ekeler drum for most of the offseason, given the fact he is a threat as a pass-catcher as well as a runner. He is age 31, though, and coming off an ACL tear, so the Niners may want someone younger.
Still, Ekeler has experience, which is more than most of the guys currently on the depth chart can say. He’d at least be a proven backup behind McCaffrey.
Najee Harris
While Najee Harris was seen as a budding star with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had a rough 2025 season with the Los Angeles Chargers as he played in just three games and tore his Achilles.
He looks to be in good health, though, based on a recent workout video, and he’s another guy who was a threat as a runner and receiver back at his peak, so he may be worth a flyer. Harris is also from Martinez, California, which is in the Easy Bay, so perhaps a homecoming is in order.
Alexander Mattison
If the 49ers are looking for a cheaper option who doesn’t have a big name like the aforementioned two, then Alexander Mattison could be a good alternative. He last played in the NFL in 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders and had 420 rushing yards on the season.
A year ago with the Miami Dolphins, he hurt his neck in the preseason and had to have season-ending surgery. If he’s healthy, then Mattison is a relatively cheap option who could provide some depth.
The 49ers had the same issue with running back depth last year in training camp and the preseason, so this seems to be a perennial issue. They might as well stock up on running backs while they can because we know they’re going to need them.
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