49ers HC Kyle Shanahan 'happy' with Christian McCaffrey's heavy workload

From the moment the San Francisco 49ers acquired running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers in the middle of the 2022 season, the 27-year-old has been as dependable a back as you’ll find in the NFL.

A true workhorse, McCaffrey has already racked up 133 total touches this season — a 377-touch pace over a 17-game season. But with McCaffrey dealing with an oblique injury that’s jeopardizing his availability for Monday’s Week 7 road tilt against the Minnesota Vikings, some might question if the heavy workload is starting to catch up to him. The two-time Pro Bowler remained sidelined at practice Friday, his second straight missed practice.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed Thursday if McCaffrey’s workload is sustainable, and said he’s happy with how he’s being used this season.

“I mean, we treat him as our starting running back,” Shanahan said, via NFL.com. “So, I don’t really think of how many touches we want to get somebody in a year. That’s week-to-week and how the game goes. But he gets a lot more extra because he gets thrown to so much in the passing game. I’m happy with how he’s being used. I’m happy with how he’s been playing, and we’ll see how the rest of the year goes.”

Kyle Shanahan reflects on Christian McCaffrey trade

McCaffrey isn’t a stranger to having a heavy workload. In 2019 with the Carolina Panthers, McCaffrey tallied 403 touches en route to recording a 1,000/1,000 campaign. His ability to both run and catch the ball at an efficient rate makes him one of the elite players in the NFL, and a weapon for San Francisco, which is why they were aggressive in trading for him exactly one year ago.

Speaking with the media, Shanahan reflected on McCaffrey’s time with the 49ers over the past calendar year.

“Just a ton,” Shanahan said. “I mean, just how good he has been from what you guys have seen, how dependable he has been, how reliable he has been, how he learns everything, not just the running backs and stuff. So, it’s real easy to put a lot on his plate, move him around each week. I think just the example he sets for everybody. And the guy is, I mean, he reminds me of just a basic mentality. Like a walk-on guy, who’s just trying to get people’s attention for working so hard.

“He is one of the most talented guys in the league and was in college coming out and every single play it’s like the biggest thing in the world, whether he is getting the ball or not. It’s a really great example of how to be as a football player.”