The San Francisco 49ers dismantled the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, thrashing them 27-7 in a dominant performance where they excelled in all phases of the game.
One of the most notable takeaways was how San Francisco neutralized the Rams’ defensive line, as they were able to run the ball 30 times for 174 yards with quality play from the offensive line. Heading into the season, a key question I had was how successful the 49ers would be on the ground after a rough 2025, and if they would diversify the carries
after Christian McCaffrey led the league in touches.
Well, McCaffrey wasn’t the team’s leading ballcarrier, as rookie third-rounder Kaelon Black actually had 14 carries to McCaffrey’s 10, while the duo combined for 133 rushing yards. Black looked quick and exploded vertically for quality gains behind great holes from the offensive line.
He was able to spell McCaffrey quite a bit, even though the star still had a major workload with five catches and eight targets in addition to his 10 carries. It was reported after the game that McCaffrey dealt with cramps, which could’ve led to some more of the carry distribution. But Black looked quite good in his first NFL action, which came after a ton of offseason discourse regarding the value of where he was drafted in April.
Now, heading into Week 2, should the 49ers continue leaning more into the commitee, or should McCaffrey regain his tremendous workload, with Black sprinkling in?
When discussing the 49ers rushing attack, I’ve noted how valuable McCaffrey is to the offense, even when he isn’t touching the ball, just because how much defenses focus on him. But if the offensive line continues to play well as a run-blocking unit, Black could be a viable option as a runner who fits very well into what San Francisco does on the ground, while also being a quality pass protector.
This could be a strong strategy amid all the injuries to keep McCaffrey healthy and fresh later in the season, which the 49ers have expressed their desire to do this offseason. Now, there will be plenty of closer games for San Francisco than Week 1, which probably skews the touch share towards the star running back.
But even a 70/30 split would be more optimal than what San Francisco has had the last few seasons. McCaffrey posted snap counts of 83 and 81 percent in his last two fully healthy seasons with the 49ers, and had closer to an 80/20 split with Brian Robinson last year as he led the league in touches.
Using McCaffrey more as a receiver, where defenses are forced to account for his superb talent, could also keep the running back fresher. San Francisco already showed it can be quite dominant on offense with its current group of pieces, as Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle is a strong trio of receiving options. The ceiling is extremely high with McCaffrey also involved in that mix.
Weeks 2 and 3 should give us a better picture of how the 49ers will deploy their backfield, but it seems they’re finally buying into a running back split after spending a ton of draft capital at the position over the last few years.
