The snaps at running back have been lopsided since the star’s return.
The San Francisco 49ers welcomed back star Christian McCaffrey back in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, marking his first appearance of the season after spending the first half of the year on Injured Reserve.
Upon his return, there were questions about how the 49ers would ease McCaffrey back, given that he was dealing with Achilles tendonitis and that issue had been there since the end of the 2023 season.
However, those questions were quickly dispelled, as McCaffrey saw 87.5 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 10, with Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo combining for just five total snaps.
Then, in Week 11, McCaffrey’s percentage jumped even higher, as the star running back was on the field for 93.7 percent of the offensive snaps, with the backups combining for just four snaps.
It has been a slow return for McCaffrey, who has rushed for 118 yards over two games, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry while catching 10 passes as a key checkdown option, totaling 95 yards in the air.
That, alongside the injury risk, has led to a new question: will the 49ers look to use their backups more to keep McCaffrey fresh, depending on situations?
“I like all those guys playing,” Shanahan said of his running backs. “But it depends on the situation, depends how many times you’re getting the ball, it depends on the drives, it depends if we’re going to put two backs out there. When you do two backs, then you’ve got to take either a big off or another receiver. But I’m not always thinking of how to get Christian [McCaffrey] off.”
Keeping McCaffrey off the field has been Shanahan’s biggest battle since acquiring the running back at the trade deadline two years ago. While it’s logical to try and space out rest for the returning star, his value as both a runner and a receiver makes him the ideal option for every situation, leading to such a high snap count.
Mason, who flourished without McCaffrey to begin the season, has seen just three total carries in the past two games, not even taking over that coveted finisher role, as the 49ers have played both contests close, going 1-1.
While there were times that Mason’s vision cost some extra yardage on certain runs, the third-year-pro has averaged 5.1 yards per carry and brings a clear level of physicality that is tough to contain, even when you know what’s coming.
It’s understandable why Shanahan loves McCaffrey on the field; the ceiling of his offense can be hit when the checkdown option is so reliable. However, the 49ers also need to ensure they get the best version of their star back as the season goes along, rather than a banged-up CMC.
If Mason can spell McCaffrey for even a few series every game, that could give the star a needed breather and ample recovery time to play at his peak, which doesn’t seem to be the case just yet.