John Lynch details how a rising backfield depth allows San Francisco to manage their superstar's workload, ensuring a fresh and healthy roster for a deep postseason run.
The San Francisco 49ers looked like a different team from the jump this season. And while we don't want to live in the Niners' emphatic a win over the Los Angeles Rams for too long, the game sent the message that the team can compete with anyone.
Despite its flaws, San Francisco looks like a different team regardless of how the next couple of games play out. Part of that is due to the fact that the team can rely upon Christian McCaffrey's backup running backs to make an impact.
49ers general manager John Lynch shared thoughts on the running back room's ability to carry some of the load for McCaffrey on local radio station KNBR. Here's some of what Lynch had to say.
"I think, yes, we wanted to do that, but you have to have the faith and the comfort, and it has to be earned. So, Kaelon, I think, through the way he performed in training camp, him being on his assignments, his ability to pass [protect]. Bobby Turner, our running backs coach, you're not just getting on the field.
And Kaelon earned that, as has Jordan James, for that matter. And Jordan, you know, just didn't get the opportunities in that game.
So, when you have options to split the carries, it's hard to take Christian off the field. Christian doesn't like coming off the field, but I think there's a vision for how we want to do this, and you want to keep people healthy in a game, you want to keep people fresh for a season, and so, I promise you, there's going to be games where Christian's right back to having the amount of touches he had last year.
But it's just the flow of the game, the way it went. Kaelon had a hot hand there. Christian ran it—when he had his opportunities—extremely well. The name of the game is to win, and running the football was a big part of that win, and we did it very well."
Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, AUS; San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black (26) rushes the ball against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesThe question for the Niners is not whether or not players like Kaelon Black can replace McCaffrey in the event of an injury, although if they can get to that point it would make the 49ers dangerous.
San Francisco wants to know if 49ers backups can give enough quality carries that McCaffrey can stay healthy. There's reason to believe that they can.
Nobody expects the San Francisco running back room to sprout a second all pro running back this year. Even so, if the team can get reliable play behind McCaffrey, San Francisco has a great shot to reach its ceiling.
