Major piece of 49ers offense will have different role in 2026
· Yahoo Sports
The San Francisco 49ers are looking to take some of the offensive workload off of running back Christian McCaffrey's plate.
Visit bettingx.club for more information.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday at the NFL owners meetings told reporters that it was a priority for him to find help for the soon-to-be 30-year-old running back after his NFL-high 413 touches last regular season.
"I know that I don't want Christian to have to take all of that," Shanahan said via ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "It was amazing that he did and was able to do that. The reason it's so hard to get Christian out is because of how much he affects everything in the passing game, even when he's not getting the ball. It's like having a receiver out there ... But in order for us to be the running team we want to be, in order to have Christian be as good as he can be throughout the whole year, we've got to get someone to help him.”
Last season the 49ers traded for veteran Brian Robinson who racked up 100 touches in 17 games. Behind him on the depth chart was Isaac Guerendo, who was largely relegated to a special teams role. Rookie fifth-round pick Jordan James was only active for three games and he didn't have a carry until the divisional playoff loss that ended the 49ers' season.
There are two paths the 49ers can take here.
They can change their offense so it isn't so reliant on McCaffrey. Having him as a pass catcher who can draw coverage even when he isn't getting the ball is a nice advantage, but it can't be the thing San Francisco relies on to generate a passing attack.
Their other option is to invest big at running back in the draft to find a player who can better replicate McCaffrey's skill set. Given where they're picking in the first round and the glut of needs they have to fill with early picks, this route seems unlikely.
Shanahan clearly wants to find ways to limit some of McCaffrey's workload. That won't be as easy as anticipated if the reasons McCaffrey rarely left the field in 2025 remain into next season.
More 49ers: 49ers tried to trade for 2026 free-agent over a year ago
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Christian McCaffrey role with San Francisco 49ers will change in 2026