Do 49ers have a solid RB option behind Christian McCaffrey?

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Through sheer force of will, Christian McCaffrey still found a way to be one of the NFL's most productive running backs for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025.

Though McCaffrey finished second for NFL Offensive Player of the Year, there was a disappointing underlying truth for the Niners' run game last season: It was the worst it had been since coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017.

The 49ers' rushing attack had some jarring numbers, including 3.8 yards per carry (ranking 30th in the NFL), 106.9 rushing yards per game (24th) and 2.04 yards before contact per carry (29th). In terms of yards per carry and yards before contact, those were the worst marks under Shanahan, and the rushing yards per contest was second worst.

San Francisco also struggled to generate big plays, posting 46 runs of 10-plus yards (tied for 20th) with a long of 41.

"It's the least amount of explosives we've ever had," Shanahan said. "That, to me, goes to scheme. It goes to a couple runs from the backs. It goes to not blocking on the perimeter as well as I feel we have in the past. But we definitely have got to get better at that. We've never been that low statistically."

If that's going to improve in 2026, it starts with finding more ways to keep McCaffrey fresh while leaning on a group of young, mostly unproven backs to help handle the load.

In the offseason, the 49ers watched veteran backup Brian Robinson Jr.depart for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. The 49ers then drew the ire of fans and pundits for again drafting a running back -- Indiana's Kaelon Black-- in the middle rounds (third round, No. 90) despite previous whiffs at the position in that same range.

Subtracting Robinson's experience leaves the Niners with Jordan James, Isaac Guerendo and Black as the top options behind McCaffrey. Including playoffs, James and Guerendo have combined for 90 carries, 448 yards and four touchdowns in the NFL.

Last season, McCaffrey had 337 carries for 1,285 yards and 10 touchdowns, while leading the NFL with 413 touches. The number of touches, combined with McCaffrey turning 30 on June 7, has Shanahan again saying he wants to lean on other backs more. It's something he has said in the past but hasn't followed through on, in large part, because McCaffrey's versatility makes it difficult to take him off the field.

"It is challenging because you're talking about a player who does not want to come off the field, but when you look around the league and you study great backs and study guys who affect the game like he does, those guys do come out of the game," 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said. "... As the season gets going and we start putting our plans together, it's something that's got to be at the forefront of our mind."

For the Niners to feel comfortable taking McCaffrey off the field more, one of the other running backs will have to grab hold of the No. 2 job and prove capable of picking up blitzes and catching and running the ball.

As it stands, James seems the most likely to win that spot.

The 49ers' 2025 fifth-round pick dealt with knee and finger injuries in camp and was active for only the final three games of the regular season and two playoff contests in his rookie season. James got his first carry in garbage time of the Niners' playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. If there was any silver lining from that game, it was James. He carried six times for 28 yards and added one catch for 7 yards.

It's a small sample size, but it set the course for James to compete for more in 2026.

"[He] came on really strong at the end of last year, but he missed so much in the beginning," Shanahan said. "He kind of just missed his window to pass some other people up. I wish I would have got him on the field more than I did. ... He needs to take that next step."

Guerendo has a more curious case. When McCaffrey and every other running back on the roster (including him) got banged up at various times in 2024, Guerendo flashed his 4.33 40-yard dash speed. He finished with 420 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5 yards per attempt.

But Guerendo has also struggled with injuries, including a shoulder ailment that popped up in training camp last year. He also had some ball security issues in the preseason, leading to the Niners trading for Robinson. Guerendo got zero touches and was a healthy scratch for the Niners' final five games in 2025. He'll need a big offseason and training camp to make the roster, let alone be McCaffrey's top backup.

Black, meanwhile, is the latest addition to the room and has a clear path to compete for the job.

Although he split time at Indiana last season and didn't start a game, Black led all players in rushing yards (241) and touchdowns (three) during the College Football Playoff. His 1,040 rushing yards ranked sixth in the Big Ten, and he had 10 rushing touchdowns, including five of 20-plus yards.

In order to be No. 2, however, Black will have to prove he can do more than just run the ball. He had just eight catches for 42 yards on 14 targets in two seasons at Indiana, though he was far more involved in the pass game at James Madison in 2022 and 2023, and he displayed satisfactory ability in that area at the Senior Bowl, according to 49ers general manager John Lynch.

"He really grew on us over time," Kubiak said. "The more we watched, studied these backs and really stacked them all together, you saw a guy who got the most out of every run that he put on tape. When he touched the ball, he was maximizing every play. ... He had some huge games and some huge moments and just a competitive dude. We're really excited about him."

For his part, Black said he hasn't had any discussions about where he fits in the 49ers' pecking order.

Still, for the first time since they acquired McCaffrey in 2022, the Niners seem to mean it when they say they want to give him a breather. Their hope is it will benefit everyone involved and bolster their sagging rushing attack.

"In order for us to be the running team we want to be, in order to have Christian be as good as he can be throughout the whole year, we've got to get someone to help him," Shanahan said.br/]