Will the 49ers Have a Dominant Running Game this Year?

The 49ers don't necessarily need a dominant passing game to make it back to the Super Bowl.

They went to the Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback. He wasn't bad for the 49ers, but he certainly wasn't great. His running back, Raheem Mostert, was great that season. And when the 49ers went to the Super Bowl in 2023 with Brock Purdy, the Offensive Player of the Year was his running back, Christian McCaffrey.

That's why the 49ers absolutely need a dominant running game to make a Super Bowl run, according to Fox Sports' Bucky Brooks.

"The 49ers’ offense begins and ends with an old-school running game that transforms pedestrian runners into 1,000-yard rushers, and Pro Bowl-caliber playmakers into MVP candidates," writes Brooks. "Christian McCaffrey has flashed gold-jacket potential as the RB1 in a scheme that enables him to work the edges and between the tackles on zone and gap scheme runs. The two-time All-Pro is averaging 115.5 scrimmage yards, including 77.6 rushing yards, in 31 games with the Niners. In addition, he has scored 31 total touchdowns and claimed a rushing title with the club.

"While CMC is certainly the straw that stirs the drink, the 49ers have been able to post solid numbers on the ground with a collection of super-subs filling in at running back. Whether it was Jordan Mason (5.2) or Isaac Guerendo (5.0) last year, the 49ers averaged at least five yards per carry when one of the backups carries the ball as the temporary RB1. With the steady production forcing opponents to load the box out of respect for the running game, the 49ers’ ground attack is crucial for creating big-play opportunities for Purdy off play-action passes."

Brooks makes good points, but a big reason that Mason and Guerendo were so efficient is that defenses didn't load the box against them consistently. Instead, they were more afraid of Brock Purdy throwing play-action passes to George Kittle and Jauan Jennings, so they played lots of two-deep-safety coverages to take those passes away.

That's why McCaffrey is so important. Kyle Shanahan's system can produce efficient rushing numbers, but he needs a truly dominant running back to carry the team to the promised land.

We'll see if McCaffrey can do that one more time.