Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL with 1,395 rushing yards and 1,932 all-purpose yards. He also leads the NFL in rushing attempts (258) and touches (321). McCaffrey's impact on the game is evident, and his ability to break a big play at any moment makes it challenging to pull him out of the lineup.
Earlier in the season, concerns were raised about the 49ers relying too heavily on McCaffrey. In the recent Monday night clash against the Baltimore Ravens, the star running back played a season-high 70 snaps, showcasing the same effectiveness as in Week 1. The snap count against the Ravens marked his highest in a single game since 2019.
As the 49ers gear up for this weekend's game against the Washington Commanders, head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed reporters on Wednesday and shared his thoughts on McCaffrey's durability and performance this season.
"I've been impressed since he's gotten here," Shanahan stated. "I mean, the guy is insane in how hard he prepares, not just in the season, but I saw him like a week after the season last year, and he had a drink with me, and he had actually a second one. He's like, 'Well, I only got like four more days left, so I'm going to have a couple for the next four days.' And I'm like, 'Dude, we just finished like five days ago.'
"He gives himself like 12 days off, and he's right back to preparing in every aspect he goes through. And he also made it very clear to me when he got here his injuries aren't because of wear and tear. They're because of freak things that happened. I'm not saying that for us, but that's how he is. He strongly believes that, he strongly prepares that way, and he's proven himself right in everything I've dealt with him on."
Following this weekend's Commanders game, the 49ers will host the Los Angeles Rams in their regular-season finale. Having already secured the NFC West title and clinched a playoff berth, the team's focus in the coming weeks is to secure home-field advantage, ensuring an easier path to Super Bowl 58.
