The NFL season is underway, which means Fantasy Football players across the country are either celebrating a 1-0 record or looking to bounce back from an 0-1 start to the season. If you play Fantasy Football, chances are you’ve already started making roster moves regardless of how Week 1 went. Post-Week 1 waiver wire and free agent additions can prove to be very valuable and help strengthen your team in a major way.
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While scouring the list of available players, there is one name you need to target: Kaelon Black. Black played a vital role in Indiana's National Championship-winning season a year ago, and he has quickly made a stellar first impression with the 49ers. As you continue to evaluate available players to add to your roster, picking up Black could be very advantageous move.
Former Hoosier RB Kaelon Black has legitimate Fantasy Football appeal
Black was drafted in the third round (90th overall) by the 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft back in April. He put forth a strong showing in training camp, and entered Week 2 as San Francisco's RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey. San Francisco opened the season last Thursday against the Rams in Australia, and Black made sure to capitalize on his opportunities.
In total, Black ran 14 times for 65 yards and hauled in his lone target for 5 yards in San Francisco's 27-7 win over Los Angeles. He was running hard all night long, and extended runs with broken tackles on a frequent basis. It was a strong first impression, and could lead to a bigger workload down the road.
That impressive start is enough to put him on the Fantasy Football radar, but his position as McCaffrey's primary backup makes him a must-add free agent heading into Week 2.
It's no secret that injuries have played an unfortunately large part in McCaffrey's career. He missed prolonged stretches in 2020, 2021, and 2024, and while he was fully healthy last season, he put a lot of wear and tear on his body. McCaffrey saw a career-high 311 rushing attempts and saw over 450 total touches including the postseason.
Now into his age 30 season, McCaffrey's workload will be interesting to monitor throughout the course of the season. If he misses any time, Black figures to step into a leading role. In that scenario, you don't want to sweat missing him on the waiver wire.
Adding Black now could prove to be particularly valuable, giving your roster some much-needed depth at running back. If you have McCaffrey on your team, adding Black gives you a security blanket should McCaffrey miss time.
Black is still available in over 60% of ESPN leagues as of this publishing, but that number is dropping as people start to see his potential. He is likely to be one of the most-added players before Week 2, and if he continues to make the most of his chances, he could be in line for a consistent role in the 49er rushing attack––even when McCaffrey is healthy.
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