One Overlooked Issue That Can Limit the 49ers’ Offense

There’s a lot of hype heading into training camp and the 2026 regular season for the San Francisco 49ers offense.

Revamping the wide receiver position headline by Mike Evans is what is driving the hype. It’s caused the 49ers' offense to look incredibly formidable.

While they did do a fine job improving their passing game by adding a few receivers, it doesn’t help them with this overlooked issue that can limit their offense this season.

One overlooked limiting issue

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) hands off to running back Jordan James (29) against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s that they don’t have an adequate running back room. Yes, Christian McCaffrey is the starter, and that’s usually good enough. However, the odds are he will miss some time this season.

McCaffrey somehow didn’t miss any games in 2025. Given the nature of the position and the sport, he’s bound to miss games. When he does, the running game is sure to see a drop off and perhaps the offense in general.

The 49ers will be relying upon Jordan James, who is essentially a rookie, and rookie running back Kaelon Black. It’s a risky move to have two young and inexperienced players behind McCaffrey, especially in this offense.

It’s not common for a rookie or a young running back to hit the ground running in the 49ers' offense. This is not an easy offense for a rookie, let alone any player, to get down swiftly.

Usually, one season is needed for young players to acclimate to the system. The only notable young running back who thrived immediately with the 49ers was Elijah Mitchell.

Indiana's Kaelon Black (8) during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Could James or Black be that? If McCaffrey misses eight games this year, the 49ers will probably not have that same effectiveness on the ground. McCaffrey may have lost a step, but he knows how to run the offense perfectly.

That’s ultimately why Kyle Shanahan isn’t fond of giving young running backs many reps in the offense. He can’t trust them because the offense demands every player to play their role to near perfection.

If anyone is going to be capable of backing McCaffrey up this year, it’s James. He barely played last season after an injury derailed him in training camp, but he does have one year of being in the offense, so he should be sharp enough to be a plug-and-play player.

I wouldn’t rule out the chance that both James and Black can be sufficient in filling in for McCaffrey. But they’re not in a favorable position to be efficient backups.

The 49ers took a huge roll of the dice by having two inexperienced players back up one of the most experienced players on their entire team. Their fingers will be crossed that at least one of these backs can step up.

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