Training camp opens Saturday, July 26, and there’s no shortage of things to keep an eye on with the San Francisco 49ers. But the spot that stands out most right now is running back, because the picture behind Christian McCaffrey is suddenly a lot murkier than it looked not long ago.
The 49ers have made it clear they want to cut back McCaffrey’s workload, and they need to follow through on that. If he gets anywhere near the kind of usage he had in 2025, the outlook probably won’t be pretty. And after a down year like 2024, this offense can’t afford another one.
For a while, it looked like the team had settled on a simple answer. San Francisco used a sixth-round pick on Brian Robinson Jr. last season, then let him leave in free agency for very affordable money with the Atlanta Falcons. That seemed to open the door for Jordan James to slide in as McCaffrey’s main backup.
Then the 49ers threw a curveball by taking Kaelon Black in the third round. Black brings plenty of traits that explain why the team liked him so much, but the move also raised more questions than it answered about how the backfield will actually be handled.
Now the depth chart feels much less settled. There may not even be a clear RB2, with James and Black potentially rotating in whenever McCaffrey needs a break.
That makes camp especially important for both players. James didn’t log a single carry or reception last season, while Black is arriving as a rookie. In other words, the 49ers are counting on two very inexperienced backs to help carry the load whenever McCaffrey comes off the field.
They’ll have 10 training camp practices to change that impression, earn more reps, and show the staff where they fit in Shanahan’s offense. Both could also get a look in one of the three preseason games.
James at least has a year in Shanahan’s system under his belt, while Black’s aggressive, physical style clearly caught the 49ers’ attention before they made him a third-round pick. That combination makes this one of the most interesting battles to watch once camp gets rolling.
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The 49ers Offense Finally Has The One Thing It Lacked
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On offense, the conversation is less about subtraction and more about finally adding the kind of help that was missing a year ago. San Franciscos wide receiver play never gave the unit enough juice, and the hope is that new pieces will change the equation by giving Brock Purdy more reliable answers and a more complete set of options. DeZhaun Stribling brings one kind of element, but the real question is whether the 49ers have found the kind of difference-maker that can turn efficiency into something more dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans May Need To Reconsider This Questioned Draft Pick
DeZhaun Stribling drew the kind of immediate reaction that usually follows a draft pick San Francisco fans are still trying to sort out, but the early noise around him may not have told the full story. The 49ers took him in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while the selection landed with some skepticism at first, later reporting painted a more favorable picture of where he stood on boards around the league.
Striblings appeal goes beyond raw upside. Evaluators have pointed to his blocking, speed and fit in an offense that can make use of those traits, and there is already some belief he could carve out a real role sooner rather than later. With a path that may open because of injuries and uncertainty at receiver, he has started to look less like a questionable pickup and more like the kind of sleeper who can force his way into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]