Kaelon Black returns to joint practice Tuesday

Christian McCaffrey, meanwhile, had 18 rushes on the day and scored two touchdowns. Black had just five pass routes against the Raiders while CMC ran 28 routes. Black’s 70 rushing yards marks a season high and shows he can be a fantasy factor when the Niners have game script in their favor. It didn’t help that he faced an abysmal Raiders front seven. Black should have some flex viability in deeper leagues next week against the Cowboys.

McCaffrey injured his hamstring in Week 7. The 49ers were on bye in Week 8, giving him extra time to rest. McCaffrey then sat out on Wednesday before practicing in a limited capacity on Thursday. He should be in fantasy football lineups this week, facing a soft Raiders run defense, but Kaelon Black could mix in for 8-10 touches, potentially warranting FLEX consideration.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said more than a week ago that McCaffrey has a “mild” hamstring strain. Hamstring strains can be finicky. If Kaelon Black is available, add him immediately. McCaffrey still has a chance to play in Week 9 against the Raiders’ soft run defense, but he is ever so slightly in the questionable column at this time.

Black’s day did not start great as he was stuffed on three straight plays inside the three-yard line on the first drive. Then he watched as Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown on fourth down. However, McCaffrey also picked up a thigh injury on that drive and missed the remainder of the first half, which allowed Black the opportunity to rip off some nice chunk runs and a long touchdown. McCaffrey did return in the second half, and Black also lost a fumble in the second quarter, so there were some moments of inconsistency. That being said, Black looks like one of the best bench stash running backs in fantasy football.

McCaffrey was used heavily on the first drive with the 49ers down so many offensive players, and he came out of that drive with a touchdown but also a thigh injury. The trainers worked on him on the sideline for two drives before finally bringing him into the medical tent. The 49ers do have a bye next week, so they could try to get him back into the game, but they are also up 14-3 at this point, so the Falcons will likely need to get the game closer. Kaelon Black will continue to see a workhorse role while CMC is sidelined.

Black was limited on Wednesday, but upgraded to full participation on Thursday and Friday. There are no concerns about his ability to handle backup duties against the Seahawks this week. That said, he has just 10 carries over the last two weeks and cannot be started in 12-team FLEX spots.

This should be a non-issue for Black by the time Sunday comes around. Black cut into Christian McCaffrey’s role again last week with six carries, though he only turned that into 13 yards. He doesn’t have much standalone fantasy value but remains one of the better contingency options headed into Week 5.

After seeing 14 carries in Week 1 against the Rams, Black now has 17 rushing attempts over his past three games as the Niners’ No. 2 back behind Christian McCaffrey. Black should be rostered in most leagues as one of the best contingency options in the game. As long as CMC is healthy, Black should remain on benches.

Black has seen his role decrease with Christian McCaffrey returning to bell cow usage. The rookie saw four carries and one target, totaling eight offensive snaps. He saw a red zone touch but otherwise did not get close to scoring opportunities. Black is one of the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy football moving forward.

After splitting work fairly evenly with Christian McCaffrey in Week 1, Black took a clearer backup role here. He had some snaps on the first drive of the game, but then Black mixed in sporadically until the game was decided early in the fourth quarter. At the end of the day, the rookie played on 16 of the team’s 45 snaps and is unlikely to have any standalone value; yet, he remains one of the better bench stashes in fantasy football.