49ers Confident Christian McCaffrey Poised for Huge Season Despite Injury Concerns

The San Francisco 49ers fans and critics worry that Christian McCaffrey won’t return to his past form due to his age and injury concerns

49ers Confident Christian McCaffrey Poised for Huge Season Despite Injury Concerns

Christian McCaffrey (Image via San Francisco 49ers)

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The San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey spent most of the last season on the sidelines after sustaining an injury in the offseason. The absence of McCaffrey was deeply felt by the Niners who finished dead last in their group and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Despite the setback, the 29-year-old running back has stayed healthy throughout the offseason and the training camp. The running back’s consistency in maintaining his health hasn’t gone unnoticed, and head coach Kyle Shanahan also pointed out that McCaffrey is poised to return to his previous form, one that won him an OPOY a season ago.

On Thursday, Shanahan told the Bay Area radio station KNBR that the Niners have their trust in the player. He admitted that while the numbers and percentages matter, there’s a certain added value that can be gained from in-person observations. He claimed that McCaffrey moved the same as he was before the injury:

You take everything into account, but I don’t try to think in absolutes… You also go with your own eyes and your experience of that… and I see Christian looking the same as he always has looked. So, I don’t really think about that number (his age) when it comes to that case… Christian gives us no reason to think that… and I believe that’s going to lead to a hell of a year.

The coach’s words were an attempt to soothe fans who are concerned about his strength following an injury, as well as his increasing age. McCaffrey is set to turn 30 next year, and the threshold of thirty is a concern for fans as well as teams when it comes to receiver corps.

The 49ers need to be patient with Christian McCaffrey and their expectations

In an attempt to soothe the fans, Kyle Shanahan has, in some ways, heaped a lot on Christian McCaffrey. However, there’s no wiping out his aging body and the injury he sustained last year. The injury flared up just two or three weeks after he made a mid-season entry in the past season.

Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey (Image via AP)

An earlier statement from Shanahan hinted at the fact that they are advising some caution before they put McCaffrey to the fire. The Niners, looking to bounce back from last season’s misery, added Brian Robinson Jr a few days back to help McCaffrey and manage his load.

Speaking about Robinson, Shanahan noted that the 49ers have a starter running back whom they could bet on with absolute confidence if McCaffrey goes out.

Sure, Robinson does add some firepower to the otherwise fragile receiver corps. The 49ers’ receiver room is in shambles. The only wideout whom quarterback Brock Purdy targeted in 2024 and remains uninjured is Ricky Pearsall. While Pearsall’s entry into the league was a story of resilience and grit, his talents has not translated into the field that much.

Aside from Pearsall, the main wideout, Jauan Jennings, is not only nursing a calf injury but also a contract dispute. Brandon Aiyuk, who secured a massive deal last year, will also be missing out on the first few games of the season.

Now, in a nutshell, Purdy’s trusted weapons are limited to Pearsall, McCaffrey, and TE George Kittle, or rely on the fullback Kyle Juszczyk to do more than his positional duties. The lack of depth in the receiving room is ultimately the final reason why the 49ers should play it safe with McCaffrey.

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