PFF: 49ers' playoff hopes hinge on Christian McCaffrey's return to form

San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey is eager to move past a frustrating 2024 season. Limited to just four games, McCaffrey began the year on injured reserve with a lingering case of Achilles tendinitis, only to finish the year back on IR due to a knee injury.

The 49ers stumbled to a 6-11 record and missed the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Now fully healthy, McCaffrey is focused on bouncing back in 2025 and potentially reclaiming the NFL Offensive Player of the Year form he showcased in 2023.

"I'm feeling great," McCaffrey said last month as the 49ers kicked off their offseason program. "It's been such a smooth process, a lot of hard work."

Pro Football Focus (PFF) analyst Dalton Wasserman recently named one bounce-back candidate for each of the 32 NFL teams. For San Francisco, the choice was obvious—McCaffrey. Wasserman believes the veteran running back's performance will be crucial to the 49ers' playoff hopes in 2025.

"The 49ers will need Christian McCaffrey at full strength and playing at his usual high level if they hope to return to the postseason in 2025," Wasserman wrote. "After ranking inside the top four qualified running backs in both rushing and receiving grade in 2023, McCaffrey was limited to just four games last season due to a series of lower-body injuries."

McCaffrey finished the 2024 season with only 348 scrimmage yards and zero touchdowns, a stark contrast to the 2,023 scrimmage yards and 21 total touchdowns he racked up the previous year.

"When healthy, he remains a game-changing presence wherever he lines up," Wasserman added. "San Francisco is counting on him to remain that kind of difference-maker for at least another season or two."

The 49ers' path back to the postseason may largely depend on whether Christian McCaffrey can return to his elite form.