PHOENIX – Christian McCaffrey’s NFL-leading 413 touches last season won’t be repeated, if the 49ers can help him, literally.
“Christian had an unbelievable year last year but he definitely needs help,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday at the NFL’s annual meeting at the Biltmore Resort.
Problem is, Shanahan thought the same thing going into last season, but McCaffrey’s on-field presence was vital for another 49ers’ playoff run, especially in the pass game with attrition at wide receiver.
“We do need some better runners going to help Christian out,” Shanahan added.
That concept prompted the 49ers to trade last summer for Brian Robinson Jr., but he never got more than nine carries in a game (400 total yards) and left in free agency for Atlanta. Stuck on the bench were Isaac Guerendo (no offensive snaps) and rookie Jordan James, whose first career carries (six for 28 yards) came in the season-ending playoff loss at Seattle.
“Jordan James came on really strong at the end of last year but he missed so much of the beginning (with injuries), he missed his window to pass other people up,” Shanahan said. “I wish I would have got him on the field more than I did. He got on there against Seattle at the end but he needs to take the next step. Hopefully he can have a healthy offseason.”
Guerendo suffered a shoulder injury in training camp and never got a chance in a game to show the speed and potential he flashed as a rookie.
“I always thought Isaac would get opportunities, where Christian would go out at some time in the game, it might be with injury, and Isaac would come in,” Shanahan said. “Christian was a warrior and stayed healthy all year.”
McCaffrey, after playing just four games in 2024, started all 19 games last season and won the AP’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year award (1,202 rushing yards, 924 receiving yards, 17 total touchdowns).
“I don’t want Christian to have to take all that. It’s amazing he did,” Shan ahan said. “The reason it’s so hard to get Christian out is because how much he affects everything in the pass game, even when he’s not getting the ball. He’s like a receiver out there.”
On June 7, McCaffrey turns 30, typically a red flag at his position.
“In order for us to be the running team we want to be and for Christian to be as good as he can be throughout the whole year, we’ve got to get some help,” Shanahan added.
The 49ers have six picks in the upcoming draft, one in both the first and second rounds, then four in the fourth round. Running backs they’ve drafted since Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived in 2017 include Joe Williams (2017, fourth round), Trey Sermon (2021, third round), Ty Davis-Price (2022, third round), Guerendo (2024, fourth round), and James (2025, fifth round).