SANTA CLARA — Facing the Atlanta Falcons without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner will be a challenge but Christian McCaffrey believes the 49ers’ defense has young players who are ready for their opportunity.

“It’s obviously a huge blow losing those guys but hopefully we can emulate their leadership, and the standard at which they play,” McCaffrey said on Wednesday. “I think I’m excited about these young guys coming up, because they had one of the best leaders in the world in Fred, so they’ve been watching him do it.

“To see them and watch them get an opportunity, that could be exciting.” 



The All-Pro ball carrier was describing Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune, the latter of which will wear the “green dot” as the captain of San Francisco’s defense. Winters earned the starting role alongside Warner during training camp while Bethune was thrust into action on Sunday after the All-Pro left the field with a season-ending ankle injury.

“They run and hit,” McCaffrey said of the linebacking pair. “They have a high standard and they play the right way. They have been watching the best do it, so I can’t wait to see them.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan has been impressed with how the two young linebackers have handled the added responsibility, understanding there will be an adjustment. Bethune led the team with 10 tackles — five solo, while Winters managed four —three of which were solo.

Shanahan is hoping, like McCaffrey, that Warner’s leadership and work ethic will linger, even in his absence.

“We’ve liked [Bethune] since the beginning,” Shanahan said. “He has shown that ability. I think it’s been good for him to be behind someone like Fred and see how he does it. Tatum, to me, is so made of the right stuff and he has so handled this year and a half the right way, that he’s definitely more than ready for this opportunity.”

Bethune and Winters have a tall task ahead in trying to limit Falcons running back Bijan Robinson on Sunday. Robinson has registered 83 carries for 484 yards and two touchdowns through Week 6. The No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft passed McCaffrey (780) to lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 822 yards. 

Robinson’s 5.8 yards per carry average is tied for first among all running backs with Carolina Panthers’ Rico Dowdle, and with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as second highest in the league. Only New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (6.2) has a higher yards per carry average.

Even with the confidence of McCaffrey and Shanahan, the 49ers’ defense will need to work collectively to stop the Falcons and that means contributions from all of the young players SanFrancisco drafted in 2025. Stopping Robinson will take all 11 defenders on the field.

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