However, McCaffrey clarified to the media it is all part of a plan to stay healthy. “When you don’t practice, the way the media works now it’s a firestorm, but this was part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get 9 or 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp back up so we’re fresh for the duration. I feel great. I feel fresh and it’s good to be back out there,” McCaffrey said.

Hence, the 49ers fans can rest easy, knowing their most important player is all good and actually putting regimes together to stay healthy and available. McCaffrey is undoubtedly the most outstanding offensive player on the roster.

Why is McCaffrey doing this plan?

Running backs tend to suffer quite a lot of injuries, especially when they age and McCaffrey, who has an injury history of his own, is already 30 years old. However, to be fair, he has changed lots of stuff about his career that have made him healthier in recent days.

Last season, McCaffrey avoided the injury plague on the Niners and played 17 games and led the NFL in touches for the third time in his career. If he can keep up his rhythm, he will once again be a key player.

49ers RB depth chart

Knock on wood, but if McCaffrey goes down, the 49ers will have to use another running backs to replace him. Now, on the good side, head coach Kyle Shanahan has proven that any running back can be good with him, just not as elite as McCaffrey.

• Christian McCaffrey
• Jordan James
• Kaelon Black
• Isaac Guerendo
• Sincere McCormick
• Khalil Herbert

The squad had been awaiting the practice return of star playmakers Kittle and McCaffrey. As both players rejoined the 49ers’ practice on Sunday, it led to what reporter David Lombardi called the best practice session of training camp. Lombardi took to social media to state that Sunday featured high intensity in every aspect, noting how Kittle and McCaffrey “fueled it.”

“Best 49ers’ practice of training camp and effectively the last one since we almost certainly won’t see 1-on-1s anymore and Tuesday’s session will be well into ‘dress rehearsal’ week,” Lombardi wrote on X. “But true intensity both ways — Kittle and CMC returns fueled it — with big plays and yelling back and forth.”

What McCaffrey, Kittle did in training

In terms of usage for both stars, the star tight end did not take part in team drills, but the running back did, according to Jennifer Lee Chan. “Very spirited 49ers practice on Sunday,” Lee Chan wrote. “While George Kittle did not participate in team drills, Christian McCaffrey did.”

Great atmosphere surrounds the 49ers

What became the top workout of the offseason generated significant chatter across social media, highlighting a strong environment across the roster that could prove key for the NFL season.

Reporter Cam Inman noted that the practice was “entertaining,” citing major highlights like quarterback Brock Purdy taunting linebacker Fred Warner following a completion.

“Entertaining 49ers practice: *McCaffrey 4 carries (3 in 5-snap span)… *Purdy taunts Warner after completion to Deebo… *Warner earlier clobbered Black on PBU… *Mike Evans left, seems precautionary again… *[DeZhaun] Stribling, [Deommodore] Lenoir no-contact participants… *[Upton] Stout INT BP… *No [Nick] Bosa, Height,” Inman wrote.

While Kittle has been progressing after tearing his Achilles in January, McCaffrey has been dealing with leg tightness. It remains to be seen when both Kittle and McCaffrey will return fully and be ready for San Francisco when the squad opens the season on Sept. 10 against the Rams.

Shanahan shut down any speculation regarding the star running back’s injury status. According to Adam Schefter, Shanahan stated that McCaffrey “would have practiced Tuesday if it weren’t a joint practice vs. the Chargers. 49ers also have no reason to believe that McCaffrey’s missed practice time is contract-related.”

San Francisco 49ers concluded their final open training camp session on Sunday, which McCaffrey missed. The team traveled to Southern California for a joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 49ers will face Chargers in their second preseason game on Thursday, Aug. 20.

Expecting a healthy McCaffrey

When healthy, McCaffrey ranks not only among the best running backs in the league, but among the best of a generation. In five of the six seasons in which he played at least 16 games, he finished the year with over 1,800 yards from scrimmage and surpassed 2,000 yards in three of those campaigns.

That said, those 16-game seasons have been interrupted by several years in which he played less than half a season. Since 2020, he has missed 37 games and frequently appears on the injury report.

Should McCaffrey protest his contract?

Regarding money, McCaffrey currently earns around $12 million per year, which ranks sixth among NFL running backs. While it might seem like he should rank higher on the list, the only player earning substantially more right now is Saquon Barkley at $18 million annually.

Everyone else falls within $1.5 million of McCaffrey’s current salary. That places Christian above average for his position as one of the NFL‘s top performers, meaning contract demands should not be a relevant factor for a potential holdout.

“He’s a little sore, but he’s doing fine, so we’ll just kind of manage him as we go,” the Offensive Coordinator said during his press conference. Overworking certain players during this stage of the 2026 training camp could be detrimental, and there is no need to take that risk.

“Christian always kind of has his rep count in any camp,” Kubiak also added. “You guys are aware of the adjustments we’ve made to our schedule to kind of keep them from having too many off days.

“But in terms of his rep load, we’re right on track with where we want to be. And, he’s a veteran player, so you have to monitor him and get him ready for the first week.” San Francisco will make its debut against the Los Angeles Rams on September 10 in Australia.

Injuries, 49ers’ Achilles’ heel

The San Francisco 49ers suffered a brutal wave of injuries throughout their 2025 campaign, losing key starters on both sides of the ball for extended stretches. George Kittle missed six regular-season games with soft-tissue and ankle injuries before tragically tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoffs, while star linebacker Fred Warner played through a severe injury that ultimately sidelined him late in the year.

To make matters worse heading into the offseason, Kyle Shanahan confirmed that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will undergo knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear sustained in the regular-season finale, capping off a nightmare medical stretch for the franchise.

San Francisco’s important backfield

It is clear that coach Shanahan has Christian McCaffrey as his main presence in the backfield in the Bay Area. Beyond him, this team’s depth chart promises to be an important source of help for Brock Purdy.

• Jordan James
• Kaelon Black
• Isaac Guerendo
• Khalil Herbert
• Patrick Taylor Jr.
• Sincere McCormick

So far, what McCaffrey has seen from Evans has been exactly to his liking. “It’s been awesome,” McCaffrey said, before adding, “He’s such a presence. You see him in the huddle, he’s got every attribute you would want in a receiver and it’s definitely not a shock when you see it live in person why he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. It’s cool to have him a part of our team.“

McCaffrey isn’t the only offensive star welcoming the new weapon; tight end George Kittle also recently mentioned how impressed he was with the wideout. It is more than obvious that a receiver of his caliber can quickly turn heads, especially given his status as a 12-year NFL veteran.

McCaffrey glad to have Evans on the 49ers’ side

McCaffrey, who is a seasoned veteran himself, knows exactly what Evans brings to the table, and having that production on the 49ers‘ offense provides a major sense of security. “He’s been somebody, just being in Carolina, I had to go against a lot and was just a nightmare,” McCaffrey noted.

Throughout his career, Evans has put together an elite highlight reel of tough catches from multiple quarterbacks. Pairing up with a young signal-caller like Brock Purdy, who has recently been praised by Alex Smith for his poise and vision, should make for a seamless transition as they look to challenge opposing secondaries.

While McCaffrey won’t be the one throwing the ball to Evans, both players understand what it takes to execute Kyle Shanahan’s complex playbook. McCaffrey specifically highlighted that the former Buccaneers star impacts the game in more ways than one, stating, “Not just in the pass game, in the run game, too. So, having him on our side, it’s great.”

Speaking directly with Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the All-Pro expressed a clear perspective on the situation. “Look, nobody ever wants to hear that you’re going to get the ball less. No coach has ever planned how many touches I get. I’ve never had that conversation with any one of my coaches that we want to give you this many touches,” McCaffrey stated.

He continued by comparing his specific 49ers role to other sports: “That’s like telling a 3-point shooter that we only want you to shoot five 3s this game. You just don’t do that… It’s probably a load management thing for them more than anything, but my job is not to focus on that at all“.

Why the 49ers heavily rely on McCaffrey

The superstar concluded by emphasizing his unwavering commitment to team head coach Kyle Shanahan’s play-calling choices. “It’s just to be ready for 10 touches or 35, whatever the game calls for. So when Shanahan says that stuff I don’t get mad at all. I don’t get mad or sad or whatever. I just train and prepare to have 35 touches a game and not come out”.

The 49ers depend immensely on McCaffrey’s multi-dimensional talent to keep their complex offensive system firing on all cylinders. If the coaching staff severely limits a dynamic veteran of his caliber, the entire offense could suffer a major drop in efficiency.

During the 2025 campaign, McCaffrey dominated the league by racking up 1,202 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 311 carries, while adding 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven scores. These numbers prove that San Francisco definitely needs him on the field to sustain a true championship run.

In March, the Jets informed Breece Hall that they planned to use the $14.293 million franchise tag on him for 2026. Two months later, the club reconsidered and offered him a long-term extension instead.

On Friday, the Jets signed Hall to a three-year, $45.75 million extension. This deal will pay him an average annual salary of $15.25 million, placing him behind only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey on the list of the league’s highest-paid running backs.

How Breece Hall’s extension resets the RB market

A few weeks ago, Breece Hall spoke out about the Jets placing the franchise tag on him. Today, his words seem to have had an impact, as the club decided to give him the extension he was desperately seeking.

Hall is an outstanding running back, yet many believe this extension exceeds what he was expected to earn. He is now a top-three highest-paid running back, which sets high expectations for his performance with the Jets.

This extension is set to have a ripple effect across the league. Jonathan Taylor of the Colts is entering the final year of the three-year extension he signed in 2023; with Hall’s new deal, he has a new standard to aim for in his next contract.

The Jets have a solid offense for 2026

By securing Breece Hall for 2026 and beyond, the Jets’ outlook looks promising. They have Geno Smith as QB1, and the pieces surrounding the veteran indicate that New York could be a dark horse this season.

• QB: Geno Smith
• RB: Breece Hall
• WR1: Garrett Wilson
• WR2: Omar Cooper Jr.
• WR3: AD Mitchell
• TE1: Kenyon Sadiq
• TE2: Mason Taylor

After interviewing Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Dolphins will interview Chargers DC Jesse Minter and 49ers DC Robert Saleh. All this comes to light after Dolphins’ possible target, John Harbaugh, signed with the Giants.

The Dolphins already had interviews with former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak. Hence, this marks a change of focus now, where the Dolphins went from offensive-minded coaches to now going the other route with defensive coordinators.

Robert Saleh has made his name relevant again

After getting unceremoniously fired by the New York Jets, Robert Saleh’s future as a head coach in the NFL looked cloudy. However, his work as the 49ers DC has been so great, that within a year, he is back in the radar for many teams.

Not only that, but Saleh has done a magnificent job without the team’s two best defensive players. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner have missed most of the year and Saleh has made this defense a situationally great unit regardless. If he lands a head coaching job, whether it’s with the Dolphins or elsewhere, he is on redemption time.

Jesse Minter is also an intriguing name

Minter, who serves as Justin Herbert‘s Chargers DC, has been an interim HC once in his career, albeit at the collegiate level. However, his job with the Chargers is too good to ignore.

It’s the same with Saleh, as Christian McCaffrey had the 49ers offense rolling. The difference is that Minter is seeking his first head coaching job in the NFL, so he has all to prove, but also the responsibility to create credibility around his name.

Last week, McCaffrey rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown, his best performance so far in the 2025 season. In Week 18, he will have a chance to become the first player in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.

McCaffrey needs 110 receiving yards to add to the 890 receiving yards he already has entering Week 18. Reaching that mark would give him a rare and highly coveted record. This season, he has posted four games with more than 100 total yards, a key factor in the 49ers’ success.

McCaffrey against the Seahawks this season

It is worth noting that McCaffrey already faced the Seahawks earlier in the 2025 season. That came in Week 1, and while it was not his strongest outing, he still finished with 69 rushing yards and 73 receiving yards, a performance that still ranks among his top 10 games of the season.

The 49ers won that Week 1 matchup, and McCaffrey showed he was healthier than ever after leaving behind a 2024 season plagued by injuries, one in which he appeared in only four games as San Francisco struggled without him and several other key players.

Overall, McCaffrey holds eight NFL records, many as a running back but some as a receiver as well. He is the fourth player in league history to reach 7,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards in a career, a milestone that continues to grow. Interestingly, only two of his records have come with the 49ers: most consecutive games with a touchdown, at 17, and most rushing touchdowns in a single season, with 14.

That concern was evident during Macdonald’s recent press conference, when he was asked how the Seahawks plan to stop McCaffrey. The Seahawks head coach paused for several seconds before responding, struggling to put into words just how complex the challenge is when the All-Pro running back is on the field.

“All the plays. Terrible answer, but it’s by situation,” Macdonald said, via 95.7 The Game. “Who do you have on the field, who do they have on the field, where’s the ball, are you trying to attack, are you trying to hedge. But he’s definitely someone you have to account for at all times. They do a great job of moving him around.”

Macdonald added that McCaffrey’s ability to impact the game in multiple ways forces defenses to prepare for everything. The 49ers use him as a runner, receiver, and decoy, making him one of the most difficult players to game-plan against in the NFL.

Despite dealing with a back injury earlier in the week, McCaffrey is cleared to play in the regular-season finale. He enters Week 18 with 17 total touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, reaching that mark for the third time in his career and once again anchoring the 49ers offense.

The importance of Week 18 vs the Seahawks for the 49ers

The final week of the regular season is crucial across the league, and for the 49ers, it carries added significance as they pursue the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Securing that position could be decisive for a team widely viewed as a Super Bowl contender.

General manager John Lynch addressed the importance of the matchup during an appearance on 49ers Game Plan, emphasizing the value of a first-round bye and home-field advantage. “What the No. 1 seed gets you, two things. First, you get your bye week, so you’re one step closer to the ultimate goal,” Lynch said. “You play one less game.”

Lynch also highlighted the impact of playing postseason games at Levi’s Stadium, noting that the 49ers have thrived at home in January. San Francisco is 6-0 in playoff games at Levi’s and has reached the Super Bowl each of the last two times it earned the NFC’s top seed, reinforcing just how much is on the line in Week 18.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, McCaffrey is officially active against the Titans. McCaffrey’s late add to the injury report was due to a back issue, but it seems it won’t deter him from playing.

McCaffrey is crucial for this team. The whole offense moves around him. McCaffrey has 849 rushing yards, 806 receiving yards and a total of 13 touchdowns this season. He is as deadly as a weapon can be in the NFL.

If McCaffrey is limited, who’s next?

If McCaffrey is limited or suffers another setback, Brian Robinson Jr. is the next man up on the depth chart. Robinson has a similar skillset to McCaffrey in the fact that he is also a dual-threat running back, albeit much less effective to what CMC produces. Robinson is a very good back, but McCaffrey is simply elite.

Robinson arrived this season to the team after being on the Commanders. He has played a secondary role to McCaffrey, but when called upon, he has delivered. Robinson has 328 yards and two touchdowns this year.

Shanahan loves himself a good running game

Famous for making pretty much anyone a decent-to-good back, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan knows a good running game is key to win games and control the clock. Hence, it’s in his best interest to always have a solid running game.

Statistically, the 49ers have the 25th-ranked rushing offense, but McCaffrey is able to provide enough damage anyway. Against the Titans, it’s key for the Niners to make long drives and rely on McCaffrey’s production to not even sweat a must-win game.