Overview
- Christian McCaffrey said Thursday that workload is managed in practice not by limiting game touches and that no coach has ever set a fixed number of touches for him.
- The 49ers have publicly signaled a desire to reduce McCaffrey’s overall workload and have added young backs and veterans to create options for snap sharing.
- McCaffrey carried an extreme load in 2025 with 932 offensive snaps, 413 touches that led the NFL, 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns, which prompted the team’s preservation talk.
- McCaffrey said he is not frustrated by the conversations, that he trains to be ready for whatever the game requires and prepares as if he could handle roughly 35 touches.
- Limiting actual game-day touches is operationally difficult, so the immediate effect is likely more practice and rotation planning with second-order consequences for play-calling and late-season availability.