After Christian McCaffrey carried the 49ers offense through injuries to key players in 2025, coach Kyle Shanahan is determined to lighten his workload. McCaffrey set a career high with 413 touches, finishing second in the NFL with 2,126 scrimmage yards and third with 17 touchdowns. The running back won Comeback Player of the Year and was MVP finalist after essentially playing without starting quarterback Brock Purdy and several top receivers.

Shanahan has emphasized reducing McCaffrey's burden more than at any point since the team acquired him in 2022. With backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. leaving for Atlanta in free agency, Jordan James and Isaac Guerendo now serve as the top options behind McCaffrey. Shanahan specifically called out James, saying he "needs to take that next step" after missing most of training camp last year.

The 30-year-old McCaffrey will become one of nine players in the past 20 years to come off a season with 400-plus touches. After calling 2025 "one of the hardest years of my life" while overcoming his own injuries from 2024, Shanahan's plan to help McCaffrey could determine the team's offensive success in 2026.