The San Francisco 49ers have gotten off to a great start in the 2023 season, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams in their first two games of the season. A big reason for their success has been the production of running back Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey has been excellent, putting together 100+ yard rushing games in both contests thus far this season. Against the Steelers, he had 22 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown. Against the Rams, he carried the ball 20 more times for 116 yards and another score.
The star running back is currently leading the NFL in rushing attempts and yardage. If this usage continues, it would be the most carries per game that McCaffrey has had in his career. On top of that workload, he is still involved in the passing game.
The dual threat has been targeted eight times, catching six passes for 36 yards. That is actually the least involved he has been in the passing game in his career, as he is on pace for career lows as a receiver.
Despite the change in philosophy, those numbers still put him atop the NFL in offensive touches this season as well with 48. It is something that he recently talked about, as he is willing to do whatever the team asks of him.
“I think it’s all dependent on how the game’s going,” McCaffrey said on Tuesday, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “We had a lot of breaks last game. Sometimes, that’s just how it goes. There’s gonna be games, too, where Mitchell gets four or five carries in a row on multiple drives because he’s playing well, and he’s feeling it, and I’ll be out. It’s really such a situational thing. Ya know, I don’t think it’s ever a plan for us to get all the carries or not. It’s just sometimes that’s just how the games go.”
49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan is lauded for his offensive mind, as he consistently finds ways to exploit opponents. Has he found something that will lead to more production from McCaffrey, leaning on him more as a ball carrier than a pass catcher?
Through two weeks, that certainly seems to be the case. The game script could also play a part as the 49ers led by double-digits in the fourth quarter of both games. That has led to quarterback Brock Purdy attempting only 54 passes through two games.
San Francisco has ridden McCaffery hard in the first two games, as he has played 91.7 percent of the snaps. Against the Rams, he played every single offensive snap with his backup, Elijah Mitchell, being glued to the bench.
Expect that to be something that changes in Week 3 as the 49ers are hosting the New York Giants on a short week, facing off on Thursday Night Football. If the team wants McCaffrey to operate at peak performance later in the season and into the playoffs, they will need to monitor his touches even if it is something he is willing to handle.
