49ers Running Back Christian McCaffrey was Slower in 2024 than in 2023

If Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy, the 49ers will be a good team. That's what they keep telling themselves.

But McCaffrey was healthy for four games last season and he did not play well according to ESPN.

"The four games in which McCaffrey played last season were concerning," writes ESPN's Ben Solak. "NFL Next Gen Stats had his maximum speeds in those four games at 16.4, 16.7, 16.1 and 17.4 mph. For context, that 17.4 mph mark would have been his fifth worst in a game during the 2023 season, when he was the MVP of the 49ers' Super Bowl-bound offense. He clearly looked less springy in 2024 than he did in 2023; in fact, he looked like a player who had a cool 417 touches in the previous season.

"It's hard for running backs' bodies to endure the level of use McCaffrey endured in 2023, but not impossible. We'll know quickly if his body has bounced back for 2025 after missing time for Achilles and knee injuries in 2024."

Not only did McCaffrey have 417 touches in 2023, he had 381 touches in 2022. That's 798 touches in two seasons. No wonder he broke down last year.

And not only was McCaffrey slower, he was less elusive. In 2023, he forced 60 misses tackles -- third most in the NFL. In 2024, he forced just five missed tackles. Alarming.

McCaffrey will turn 29 on June 7. At this point of his career, it's probably best to keep expectations low.