Yahoo Sports NFL on Christian McCaffrey

Article49ers run game finds elusive balance in dominant Week 1 displaySeptember 11, 2026

From the article

McCaffrey's level of usage from past season was never going to be sustainable. For him to avoid the infamous cliff that running backs often hit once they reach 30, McCaffrey needs somebody to share the burden.

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Negative signalRole

49ers moving away from McCaffrey-dependent run game to preserve him at age 30

The 49ers are intentionally shifting away from McCaffrey's unsustainable 2025 usage pattern (311 rush attempts, 3.9 yards per carry average) to a shared workload model with rookie Kaelon Black. Kyle Shanahan stated the goal was 'trying to balance it out more, whether it was with Kaelon or getting Deebo some carries.' At 30 years old, McCaffrey needs workload relief to avoid the typical running back cliff that occurs at that age.