From a raw production standpoint, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey delivered another eye-catching season. He finished just 76 receiving yards shy of becoming the first player in NFL history to post multiple seasons with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards. Even so, McCaffrey totaled 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns, once again serving as the engine of the 49ers' offense.
McCaffrey also continued to climb the NFL record books. He surpassed LaDainian Tomlinson for the third-most receptions by a running back in league history. He became the first at the position to record at least 100 receptions in three separate seasons. His 102 catches were his most since 2019.
With 924 receiving yards, McCaffrey joined elite company as just one of three running backs in NFL history to log multiple seasons with at least 900 receiving yards (2019, 2025), alongside Marshall Faulk and Lenny Moore.
On the surface, it looked like another dominant year—one that mirrored (or at least approached) his 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year campaign. ESPN's Dan Graziano, however, isn't convinced the impact was quite as strong.
"McCaffrey averaged only 3.9 yards per carry this season," Graziano wrote. "That figure ranked 39th in the NFL, right behind Isiah Pacheco and ahead of Chuba Hubbard. And the 49ers' run game was very average, ranking 22nd in rush EPA. McCaffrey's contributions as a receiver are what made his season special and helped win fantasy leagues and drag the banged-up 49ers into the playoffs. But overall, his 2025 season doesn't hold a candle to 2023."
The efficiency dip is hard to ignore. McCaffrey's 3.9 yards per carry marked his lowest average since 2020 and the third-lowest of his career. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the fifth time, but did so on a career-high 311 carries. His 413 total touches led the NFL, underscoring just how heavily the 49ers leaned on him throughout the season.
"The starkest difference is in early-down efficiency," Graziano continued. "On first and second down in 2023, McCaffrey averaged 5.4 yards per carry, had 1,337 rushing yards, and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. This season, those same numbers were 3.9 yards per carry, 1,064 rushing yards, and seven rushing touchdowns. Workmanlike, for sure, but not spectacular."
As the 49ers prepare for their Wild Card matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the question now is whether McCaffrey can elevate his play when it matters most and help push San Francisco deeper into the postseason.
"Again, McCaffrey was what the 49ers needed him to be this season -- a volume eater and target mismatch in the passing game," Graziano concluded. "But he's not the explosive early-down difference-maker that he was a couple of years ago when the 49ers made it all the way to overtime in the Super Bowl."