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Kaelon Black Continues to Carve Out Backfield Role
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
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.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Christian McCaffrey is a Dual Threat in Win
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey did a little bit of everything during Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The superstar back looked healthy and unstoppable during Sunday's blowout victory. He carried the ball 18 times for 68 yards and a touchdown on the ground. McCaffrey also hauled in two of his three targets for 19 yards and an additional score through the air. When McCaffrey is healthy, he's one of the best players in the league. The 18 carries on the ground were a season high for McCaffrey, so it's good to see him getting heavy usage on the ground. Fantasy managers should expect McCaffrey to once again be an elite option for next week's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Christian McCaffrey Expected to Handle Full Workload Against Raiders
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) is expected to handle his usual workload against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, according to Mike Garafolo. McCaffrey strained his hamstring against Atlanta in Week 7, leaving in the second quarter and returning after halftime. He and Kaelon Black finished with 13 touches apiece. Black handled 12 carries, while McCaffrey caught six passes for 61 yards. Coming off the Week 8 bye, McCaffrey sat out Wednesday, was limited Thursday, and practiced in full Friday. He carries no game designation against Las Vegas. McCaffrey averaged 17.5 touches and scored seven rushing touchdowns over his first six games. The expected return to that workload keeps him in the RB1 tier for Week 9.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
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.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Christian McCaffrey Cleared For Cushy Matchup Against Las Vegas
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) has no designation for this weekend after suffering a mild hamstring strain in Week 7. Despite the injury, McCaffrey still rattled off an even 100 scrimmage yards and scored a touchdown on 13 total touches in that game. With the 49ers on bye last week, McCaffrey had some extra rest ahead of the team's upcoming game against the Raiders. Las Vegas has given up at least 17 PPR points to six different running backs since Week 4. McCaffrey should see a heavy complement of receiving work once again, as both Mike Evans (Achilles) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) have been ruled out. McCaffrey projects as an RB1 in Week 9 and should be in starting lineups everywhere. Rookie Kaelon Black would be next in line for backfield work if McCaffrey reaggravates his injury.
Source: 49ers.com
Source: 49ers.com
Christian McCaffrey Cleared to Play Sunday vs. Raiders
San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) has no injury designation and is good to go for Sunday's game against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. McCaffrey did not practice on Wednesday, but he told reporters he was confident that he would play this weekend against the Raiders, and the 30-year-old has officially been cleared from Friday's final injury report after returning to practice on Thursday and Friday. Fantasy managers surely did not like seeing CMC on this week's injury report when considering his lengthy injury history, but he appears to be fine after tweaking his left hamstring in the Week 7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco's bye in Week 8 came at the right time, allowing McCaffrey to suit up. As long as he does not have any workload restrictions on Sunday at Levi's Stadium, CMC will be a no-brainer must-start RB1 for fantasy football managers. The 49ers will not be getting receivers Mike Evans (Achilles, ribs) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) back this week, and they will also be without Christian Kirk (knee), so McCaffrey should handle a high volume of passing-game work yet again.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Christian McCaffrey Participating in Friday's Practice
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) was seen participating in practice on Friday, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. McCaffrey missed practice on Wednesday with a hamstring issue, but he returned on both Thursday and Friday and appears likely to play in San Francisco's Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 30-year-old has put together another excellent season so far in 2026, recording 640 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 118 touches across seven games. San Francisco has reduced McCaffrey's rushing workload this season, but his involvement in the team's pass game continues to provide him with a very safe production floor. As long as he's active, McCaffrey profiles as an elite running back option for fantasy managers in Week 9.
Source: ESPN - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN - Nick Wagoner
Christian McCaffrey Back at Practice on Thursday
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) was back in uniform and participating in practice in the early portion open to the media on Thursday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. McCaffrey did not take part in the first practice of the week on Wednesday, but he was confident he would return to practice and be ready to play in this weekend's home tilt against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The 30-year-old All-Pro RB tweaked his left hamstring in the Week 7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but he thankfully had the bye week to recover. Barring a setback in practice on Friday, fantasy managers should have CMC available against the Raiders as a must-start, elite RB1. Still, any mention of an injury for McCaffrey can be scary when considering his lengthy injury history, so we will continue to keep a close eye on his status going into Week 9 action. In the meantime, rookie Kaelon Black is a must-have insurance policy off the waiver wire in case McCaffrey's hamstring injury worsens. McCaffrey has been the RB10 in half-PPR scoring through eight weeks with 389 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while adding 34 catches for an additional 251 receiving yards.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Christian McCaffrey Expects to Return to Practice and Play This Week
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring), who was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice, said he was a bit surprised that what bothered him in the Week 7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was his hamstring, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. It sounds like he has a chance to return to practice and play this week on Sunday against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. "It wasn't too bad," McCaffrey said. "I think having the bye week was awesome, but I feel great." The 30-year-old All-Pro RB dealt with a mild left-hamstring strain during the Week 7 loss to the Falcons, but he had last week's bye to rest up, so he is expected to be ready this weekend to take on the Raiders. We will be keeping a close eye on CMC's practice status for the rest of the week. He finished with only 13 touches against Atlanta for 100 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown, so he was still valuable for his fantasy managers. In the event he does not make progress the rest of the week and is held out on Sunday, rookie Kaelon Black would become a plug-and-play, must-start RB in Week 9. McCaffrey is a must-start in all fantasy lineups anytime he is active.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian McCaffrey has Mild Hamstring Strain, Should be Ready for Week 9
San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) ended up having a mild hamstring strain in Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, not a quadriceps injury, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. The 49ers think McCaffrey will be ready to go after their Week 8 bye in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders. CMC left the game and was seen running to the locker room with a trainer before eventually returning to the contest for the 49ers. The 30-year-old four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro handled a season-low seven carries against Atlanta while missing valuable time, but he managed to find the end zone for the sixth straight game on 39 rushing yards while adding six catches for 61 yards through the air. We will be keeping a close eye on McCaffrey's practice status next week as the team prepares for the Raiders, but as long as CMC is on track to play, he will be a must-start in all fantasy formats. Through seven weeks, he has 84 carries for 389 yards (4.6 yards per carry) with a league-high eight rushing touchdowns. McCaffrey has added 34 receptions on 42 targets for 251 yards through the air.
Source: The San Francisco Standard - David Lombardi
Source: The San Francisco Standard - David Lombardi
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian McCaffrey Not Worried About "Thigh" Injury
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (thigh) is not worried about his injury. McCaffrey suffered a thigh injury on the second drive of the game. He returned but had only four touches after the injury. McCaffrey said his leg "just died on me. I was just trying to keep it warm and not make it worse, but there's only so much you can do to get back to where you want to be. I'll be fine. I know that. I'll be all right." He was dominating early, totaling 69 yards and a touchdown on the first drive alone. With the 49ers on bye for Week 8, McCaffrey will have time to heal before facing the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. While fantasy managers shouldn't sound alarms yet, McCaffrey's thigh injury is concerning given the star running back's injury history.
Source: Pro Football Talk
Source: Pro Football Talk
