The San Francisco 49ers have done quite a bit this offseason, being one of the most active teams in free agency. They’ve added key players at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive tackle, linebacker, and cornerback, with multiple being projected starters for 2026.
One position they haven’t made an addition yet? Running back.
Last year, the 49ers’ run game wasn’t at the same level as in years past, despite Christian McCaffrey going for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns. They ranked 25th in rushing yards per game and 30th in yards per attempt, as they struggled to create explosive plays.
There really wasn’t much behind McCaffrey last year. Brian Robinson Jr., San Francisco’s main backup, played in just 17 percent of the offensive snaps and rushed for 400 yards on 4.3 yards per attempt.
And this week, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that the 49ers will need to get some help for McCaffrey in 2026 after the running back had over 400 touches last season.
Of course, that brings back the question of how the 49ers can remain as effective offensively without McCaffrey on the field for all three downs. Shanahan has repeatedly said in the past that it’s tough to keep the star off the field because of his value as a receiver, which makes it more difficult on opposing defenses with tells and also covering McCaffrey.
Even though the 49ers have looked for help for McCaffrey over the past few years, they haven’t really executed that plan. After being drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Isaac Guerendo went from 84 carries as a rookie to zero as a second-year player. The 49ers also drafted Jordan James in the fifth round last year, and he didn’t have a single touch in the regular season either.
So, what are the 49ers looking for in a McCaffrey complement?
“I will say the hardest thing last year is when you have a game plan in the past game that’s predicated around a running back and your backup running back doesn’t have that same skill set,” Shanahan acknowledged. “There’s times Bobby [Turner] would take him off the field and I’m calling something that is only for Christian, and then he’s off the field, and I don’t notice till I’ve already said it. And now my choice is to call a timeout, have somebody do something that they really aren’t very good at, and then Bobby gets scarred for taking him out because he did it at the wrong time.
“So that’s something we’re always trying to work on. It’s very tough. As a play caller, you’re not like telling everyone, ‘hey, next play I’m going to call this,‘ and then play happens. It’s very in the heat of battle. And so Bobby’s got to get a kind of a feel for that with me and how I’m going. And even though Christian’s not involved and we’re calling a play for someone else, when someone affects the defense that much, it’s very hard to get in that rhythm between me and the substitute.”
The 49ers have McCaffrey, Jordan James, Isaac Guerendo, and Patrick Taylor Jr. currently in the fold for 2026. Will they draft a running back for the third straight year? Perhaps go for a late signing or trade? Or will they move forward with the group they have now?
With Shanahan’s comments, adding a better pass-catching back might be the next move for San Francisco.
