Kaelon Black’s first NFL camp with the San Francisco 49ers is already taking an interesting turn.
The former Indiana running back, a third-round pick at No. 90 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, is getting a real look with the first team while Christian McCaffrey is sidelined. That’s a notable development for a rookie who arrived in San Francisco after helping power Indiana’s record-setting season.
Black was a major part of the Hoosiers’ backfield during their National Championship run last year. Working alongside Roman Hemby, he helped give Indiana what was arguably the best running back duo in the country. Both backs went over 1,000 rushing yards, and Black led the team with 10 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
Now the question is how quickly that production can translate to the NFL. For the moment, Black is getting his chance to show it.
On Wednesday, NBC Sports reported that Black was taking first-team reps in the 49ers backfield with McCaffrey out. Black had previously missed two weeks because of a thigh injury, but he now appears to be back and taking on a larger role in practice.
McCaffrey’s absence has opened the door, though it does not necessarily mean Black is suddenly headed for the Week 1 starting job. McCaffrey, a 4x Pro Bowler and the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, is dealing with physical "tightness," and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the issue "isn't serious" and that the team is being cautious with him.
There is still no official return timeline, but the expectation is that the 49ers are trying to have McCaffrey ready for the season opener on Thursday, September 10 against the Rams in Australia.
Even so, Black’s opportunity matters. McCaffrey has missed significant time in multiple seasons since 2020, and San Francisco is already dealing with a long list of injuries.
If Black keeps making the most of these reps, he could carve out a bigger role sooner than expected. He may even emerge as a dark-horse fantasy football option as McCaffrey’s backup.
In Other News...
Indiana Football Just Reached A Level Memorial Stadium Has Rarely Seen
Indiana football is on the verge of doing something Memorial Stadium has not seen in generations. Indiana University is expected to sell out all eight home games in 2026, and the schools official ticket site already shows no remaining tickets available. The significance goes beyond a hot ticket market, because this would be the programs first full season sellout since 1969, even with the stadium carrying more capacity than it did back then.
For a fan base that has spent years waiting for football at Indiana to feel different, the timing is hard to miss. The Hoosiers also enter that season with a 15-game home winning streak, the longest in the country, which has helped turn Bloomington into one of the more difficult places to visit in college football. The only real question now is how much further this surge can stretch once those stands are full from opening day through the final home date. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hoosiers Put Friendship On Hold For An NFL Showdown
Fernando Mendoza and Aiden Fisher spent their Indiana days as teammates and friends, and now they are walking into the same NFL exhibition season on opposite sidelines. Mendoza, a quarterback with the Raiders, and Fisher, a linebacker with the Texans, both made positive first impressions in Week 1, which only adds a little more intrigue to a matchup that will be watched closely by Hoosiers fans looking to track where those college relationships end up once the pads go on for real.
For Indiana followers, it is part of a broader run of updates worth noting. Kaelon Black has returned to 49ers practice, Kurtis Rourkes injury status remains a storyline to monitor, and Cam Jones has re-signed with the Chiefs. But the most immediate spotlight belongs to two former Hoosiers who know each other well, even if their usual conversation will have to wait until after the game. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Finebaum Just Gave Indiana Fans A New Reason To Push Back
Indianas perfect 2025 run ended with its first national championship under Curt Cignetti, but the Hoosiers are still finding out that winning the whole thing does not guarantee universal respect. Even after going 16-0, they opened the 2026 preseason AP Poll at No. 6, a placement that reflects both the challenge of replacing Fernando Mendoza and the reality that the rest of the country is not ready to hand them the benefit of the doubt just yet.
Paul Finebaum added to that debate by questioning Indianas nonconference slate while pointing to the grind that awaits in the Big Ten. For Hoosiers fans, it is another reminder that the defending champs will spend all season trying to prove last year was no fluke, and the ranking discussion may linger until they start stacking wins against the kind of opponents that shape the playoff picture. [Read more 🡒]