Why Christian McCaffrey has Been Inefficient as a Runner

Christian McCaffrey has been ineffective as a running back since his return. Here are a couple of contributing factors for it and how it can improve.

Nov 17, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) rushes the ball while be pursued by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Christian McCaffrey was viewed as the savior for the San Francisco 49ers.

His return was supposed to cure all of the offensive woes the 49ers were dealing with this season. Unfortunately, McCaffrey had done little to improve the offense if at all. They still look like the same old struggling unit that can't get into the end zone and sustain drives.

McCaffrey looks like a shell of himself running the football. It's to be expected since he didn't practice and play in games for three months. Some time was always needed for him to ramp up, but who knows if that will be enough. He doesn't look as explosive as last season.

However, one factor that is making McCaffrey an inefficient runner is the blocking. The rushing lanes aren't consistently there for him. McCaffrey has played on 87.9% of the 49ers offensive snaps since Week 10, but has generated -33 rushing yards over expected in the process (+349 in 2023, most in NFL), per Next Gen Stats.

He's been contacted behind the line of scrimmage on 58.1 percent of his rushes in 2024, up 23.2 percent from his rate in 2023 (34.9 percent). As a result, McCaffrey has averaged just 0.4 yards before contact per carry and recorded an explosive rush on just 7.0 percent of attempts this season.

So, McCaffrey's inefficiencies aren't solely because of him. The run blocking has been mediocre. He's supposed to be one-on-one with a defender after he's hit the rushing lane, not before it. But that's been the case for McCaffrey. The offensive line isn't doing him any favors.

It's also the specific run calls that aren't helping him either. For some reason, Kyle Shanahan is repeatedly calling outside run plays for McCaffrey. He's ran it 34 times on those as opposed to the nine times inside. The funny thing is McCaffrey is finding greater success rushing inside.

He's averaging 5.8 yards per carry when rushing inside versus the 2.9 yards per carry outside. The offensive line is struggling to give him lanes and he doesn't have his legs under him yet to hit it full speed. Outside runs are for fast players and that is lacking with McCaffrey right now.

However, a large chunk of the issue resides with the offensive line. That is why Jordan Mason can come in and thrive on the inside runs. McCaffrey and Mason are having success there, but Shanahan wants to keep dialing it up to the outside.

Maybe that changes this week against the Buffalo Bills. Just don't hold your breath on it.