49ers spy youngsters as McCaffrey’s backups after Guerendo injury

SANTA CLARA – Jordan James took Brock Purdy’s toss and ran to the right behind Kyle Juszczyk’s lead block, starting 11-on-11 action at Thursday’s organized team activities.

Three snaps later, rookie Kaelon Black ran up the middle and put on a spin move after a couple of yards.

From James to Black to (*checks transaction wire*) two freshly signed rushers in Jermar Jefferson and Jordan Mimms.

This is the 49ers’ backfield life without Christian McCaffrey?

“You guys came on the day I was not going,” McCaffrey said after Thursday’s practice. “I’ve been practicing, just not today.”

Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. also were out of the mix, with coach Kyle Shanahan later revealing that Guerendo tore a pectoral muscle lifting weights. Guerendo, after two lackluster seasons and multiple injuries, is likely out until late August, if not into the season via an injury-list designation.

That sets up James, a 2025 fifth-round pick, and Black, a 2026 third-rounder, as McCaffrey’s unproven understudies who are listed with similar builds (5-foot-9, 208 pounds). James turned 22 on March 29; Black turns 25 on Oct. 17.

McCaffrey praised both as “complements to our room,” one that lost 2025 No. 2 back Brian Robinson to Atlanta in free agency.

McCaffrey on James: “He’s another guy that just does everything right, can run any scheme, has gotten a lot better in the pass game, is explosive and can do it all.” (James’ only carries came in the season finale, with six rushes for 28 yards in the 41-6 playoff loss at Seattle.)

McCaffrey on Black: “He’s been everything you would want in a rookie — super attentive in meetings, does everything right, has a bunch of talent. … He can pick things up so quickly. Once he does something or you tell him something, he knows how to correct it. He’s a true football player.”

Despite Shanahan’s annual vow to get McCaffrey more rest this season, he’s been their No. 1 offensive weapon since his 2022 arrival from Carolina. He totaled 450 touches through the divisional-round playoff exit. He started all 19 games, nearly produced 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving in the regular season, and earned AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors.

McCaffrey has had enough of the “workload” chatter.

“I’ve been dealing with those questions for nine years, it feels like,” McCaffrey said. “The workload in our sport is really monitored in practice, not in games. We play 17 regular-season games a year and everybody’s livelihoods are on the line. On Sundays you have to do what it takes to win. You don’t tell a 3-point shooter you only get six threes today. So much of it is rhythmic.”

So much of the 49ers’ rushing attack failed to impress last season, posting its lowest average per carry (3.8) since 2004 and failing to break big gainers.

“Breaking tackles, hitting those long ones, that’s something I can get better at,” McCaffrey said. “That’s something I’ve been focusing on all offseason is just getting the big play back. You can’t always control what happens in a play but if the hole’s there, you’ve got to hit it and you’ve got make the 8- to 10-yard runs the big ones. And if it’s not there you’ve got to do everything you can to get four or five or whatever it is.”

The 49ers typically like to keep four or five running backs, including practice-squad reserves.

McCaffrey expects Guerendo to be part of that unit, once he recovers from the pectoral tear.

“Sometimes this game is super unfortunate. He was working his butt off all offseason,” McCaffrey said. “Sometimes that freak stuff happens where you strain something in the weight room. It’s unfortunate but he’s got the right attitude.”