Risk Flags
5- Backfield Competition
Black must beat out Jordan James — a 2025 5th-round pick entering his second year — for the RB2 role in SF. James has a year of scheme familiarity and Shanahan's trust, meaning Black isn't guaranteed meaningful touches even if McCaffrey's workload is managed down.
- Usage & Volume
Black opens camp as RB3 behind McCaffrey and Jordan James, with Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor also in the room. Standalone fantasy value is near-zero unless McCaffrey misses time.
- Receiving Limitations
Black posted only 12 targets across two seasons at Indiana and his snap rate never exceeded 45% in college. In Shanahan's pass-heavy offense, a back without receiving utility is capped to early-down carries, materially limiting his floor and weekly relevance.
- Draft Capital Questions
Black was not invited to the NFL Combine and received a 5.69 grade from NFL.com — projecting him as a bottom-of-roster candidate — before the 49ers took him at pick 90. Multiple analysts flagged the selection as a reach, and SF's recent track record developing mid-round RBs is poor.
- Age Concerns
At 24 years old as a rookie after six collegiate seasons at James Madison and Indiana, Black enters the NFL on the older end for the position, compressing his dynasty window and limiting the long-term age-curve upside dynasty managers typically prize in RB prospects.