Ryan Smith of Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently highlighted 10 returning from injury who could be pivotal during the 2025 NFL season. These players may be crucial to their teams' success. Notably absent from the list was wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, whose impact may not come until later in the season.
One San Francisco 49ers player who did make the list, however, is running back Christian McCaffrey. After an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, the All-Pro appears ready to contribute to a team aiming to rebound from a disappointing 6–11 finish. In 2023, McCaffrey was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, emphasizing his value when healthy.
"McCaffrey missed the first eight games of the 2024 season with bilateral Achilles issues," Smith wrote, "then later suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee against Buffalo, landing him on injured reserve and ending his season.
"Without their All-Pro running back, the 49ers struggled, finishing 6–11 after winning 35 games from 2021 to 2023."
McCaffrey managed only 348 scrimmage yards and failed to reach the end zone in 2024. In contrast, just a year earlier, he racked up 2,023 scrimmage yards and accounted for 21 touchdowns, highlighting his enormous value to the offense.
"In 2022 and 2023, McCaffrey was the most complete back in football," Smith continued, "earning 90.0-plus PFF grades in both seasons while forcing 155 missed tackles, the most in the league during that span. Last month, he reported having 'zero restrictions' as the 49ers began their offseason program."
Speaking to reporters at the start of that program, McCaffrey sounded confident in his recovery.
"I'm feeling great," he said. "It's been such a smooth process, a lot of hard work. As soon as that injury happened in Buffalo, I was kind of—this was my goal, to not miss a day of OTAs, be back, ready to go, with nothing hindering me, and that's where I'm at."
McCaffrey will turn 29 before the 2025 season kicks off, but Smith believes the veteran still has plenty left in the tank.
"He'll be a critical piece for a San Francisco team looking to reassert itself in the NFC after three straight conference title game appearances," Smith added.