The 49ers are staring at the same problem the Colts just tried to solve: how to keep a star running back from carrying the offense into the ground.
For San Francisco, that means Christian McCaffrey. He just finished a season with an eye-popping 413 touches, a career high by a mile, and that kind of load is not something the 49ers can realistically expect to repeat in 2026. After his injury, another 400-touch season would be a serious red flag, both for his durability and for how much punishment he can absorb.
Indianapolis reached a similar conclusion with Jonathan Taylor. The Colts recently said they want to lighten his burden after he piled up 690 combined touches over the last two seasons. The problem, though, is that they’ve had a hard time actually doing it.
Both teams ran into the same basic issue: their best running back was simply too important to keep off the field. Taylor and McCaffrey were used at extreme rates because each offense leaned heavily on what those players could do.
In Indianapolis, the backup options never gave the Colts a real reason to change course. D.J.
Giddens averaged 3.7 yards per carry on 26 attempts, while Tyler Goodsen managed just 2.7 yards per carry on nine attempts. That made it hard to justify reducing Taylor’s workload.
San Francisco had a little more to work with, but didn’t really take advantage of it. Brian Robinson Jr. averaged 4.3 yards per carry on 92 attempts, which was actually better than McCaffrey’s 3.9. The 49ers also had rookie Jordan James on the roster, but he never got a regular-season carry.
Now Robinson Jr. is gone, and Kyle Shanahan may have an even tougher time pulling McCaffrey off the field. James will compete with rookie Kaelon Black for the backup job, though neither one brings much to the table as a pass catcher.
The 49ers have already lived through one season without McCaffrey, and it didn’t go the way they wanted. With their championship window still open, San Francisco may be better off giving James and Black some early-season work now so McCaffrey is fresh when January arrives.
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George Kittle's Status Just Became A Serious 49ers Problem
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The immediate burden now falls on the depth chart, and the 49ers are expected to elevate Brayden Willis from the practice squad to help cover the tight end group. It is a familiar sort of test for Kyle Shanahans offense, which leans heavily on Kittles versatility and production, and now has to find a way to keep that part of the attack moving while waiting for his eventual return. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Already Have A De'Zhaun Stribling Problem They Feared
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Striblings college rsum suggests there is still plenty of development ahead, since he never topped 1,000 receiving yards in a season and had only one 100-yard game at Ole Miss. That is why the early reps matter so much for him, and why every practice clip gets extra scrutiny as he tries to show he can clean up the details and justify the investment San Francisco made. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have Quietly Found A Crucial Offensive Line Answer
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Where he fits will be sorted out in training camp and the preseason, but the possibilities are clear enough: he can battle for work at left guard, provide swing tackle depth, or serve as a backup center option. For San Francisco, the appeal is obvious. A lineman who can cover several jobs gives the coaching staff more ways to build the 53-man roster, even if the exact answer is still waiting to be revealed. [Read more 🡒]