Kyle Shanahan reveals a fix that could unlock McCaffrey's runs in 49ers' Melbourne opener

San Francisco heads to Melbourne with a running back who produced plenty last season yet rarely broke a game open, and coach Kyle Shanahan wants that to change before the 49ers open against the Los Angeles Rams.

Christian McCaffrey piled up 1,202 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns, the second-most productive yards-from-scrimmage season of his nine-year career, but he reached 20-plus yards on only three carries all year.

For a back of his caliber, that scarcity of long gains points less to his legs slowing down and more to what happens around him once he clears the line. Shanahan sees the same thing, and he puts the responsibility on the full unit rather than the ball carrier. "In order to get those big runs, it always takes all 11," Shanahan told Matt Maiocco, 49ers Insider for NBC Sports Bay Area.

The coach conceded McCaffrey has details to sharpen, but he framed the real repair as better downfield blocking aimed at the safeties and backside corner, the kind that stretches a short gain into a chunk play.

That responsibility falls across the coaching staff and the roster, not on McCaffrey by himself. The backdrop adds another layer. McCaffrey's status for the opener has drawn scrutiny after he was a surprise inactive to start a previous season, so his workload and readiness sit near the top of San Francisco's storylines. 

Kaelon Black Emerges as 49ers Ease Christian McCaffrey's Workload for Rams Opener

Keeping McCaffrey productive also means keeping him fresh, and San Francisco intends to spread early-down carries so he is not worn thin by the fourth quarter. Kaelon Black, the rookie the 49ers took in the third round, has apparently beaten out Jordan James for the backup job, and Shanahan thinks Black can carry a similar run-game load to what McCaffrey usually handles.

Deebo Samuel gives the offense one more backfield option when the situation calls for it. The math is cleaner on the ground than through the air. On early downs, a capable rookie can absorb touches without the defense flinching.

Through the air, McCaffrey's value as a route runner and matchup problem is far tougher to cover, which is exactly where the plan thins out. Shanahan admitted as much. "There are things you're only going to ask Christian to do," he said. "And when he's out, you got to change that stuff up, and the threat of that stuff gets changed, too, for the defense."

Read plainly, easing his early-down load is really about saving him for the snaps no teammate can replicate. That calculus matters more this week because of where the game is being played.

The 49ers open against the Rams in Melbourne, a trip that scrambles routines with a long flight, a large time difference, and unfamiliar surroundings. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

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