3 clear reasons Christian McCaffrey trade turns 49ers into NFC favorites

The San Francisco 49ers' trade for running back Christian McCaffrey was an all-in effort to right a ship that had nearly run aground. That's mainly due to a litany of injury issues and a faltering offense. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch feel the squad is talented enough to win the Super Bowl in 2022. This McCaffrey signing is their attempt to get the team over the hump. We'll try to look at three reasons why this Christian McCaffrey trade does make the 49ers NFC favorites.

While the 49ers defense has been outstanding in 2022, its offense has been at best middling. They are currently in the top half of the league in rushing yards (744) and yards per carry (4.4), but neither figure is particularly outstanding. The same goes for their rushing touchdowns (6 — one per game).

Keep in mind that their run game has suffered with running back Elijah Mitchell out due to an MCL strain. Instead of waiting for Mitchell to return after the Week 9 bye, they put their money on McCaffrey before Week 7. It's a gutsy move, but we cannot fault the San Francisco front office for actually taking action instead of just resting on their laurels.

For the 49ers, who don't have a first-round pick in 2023, going all-in on CMC meant giving up a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a 2024 fifth-round pick. That kind of draft compensation for a guy with McCaffrey's injury history has undoubtedly raised eyebrows and questions. His potential impact on their offense, on the other hand, might yield benefits well worth the risk.

Christian McCaffrey through 6 seasons in Carolina.

— 866 carries for 3,980 yards.

— 390 catches for 3,292 yards.

— 50 touchdowns.

— 1 Pro Bowl.

— He’s now a member of the 49ers. pic.twitter.com/mt4Ihzl7aT

— SGG X Stake.US (@SGGXStakeUS) October 21, 2022

Here are our three clear reasons the Christian McCaffrey trade turns the 49ers into NFC favorites.

3. McCaffrey is a dual-threat RB

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan feels that Christian McCaffrey has the potential to be a dual-threat back. Shanahan likely sees CMC as an RB who can help mask and even optimize the creativity (i.e., trickery) that the 49ers sometimes rely on.

For instance, McCaffrey could run out of an I-formation that quickly transitions into a five-wide look. That means CMC, fullback Kyle Juszcyzk, and tight end George Kittle can all potentially break out and get open in man coverage.

That kind of flexibility alone is already a huge contribution CMC makes to this team. Take note that he is only one of three NFL players to achieve 1,000 yards running and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. In his career, McCaffrey has averaged 4.6 yards per run, but he can also terrorize defenders as a pass receiver. Think of McCaffrey as the inverse of Deebo Samuel. Whereas Samuel is a “wide back,” CMC can function as a “running receiver.” Okay, maybe we're pushing it, but you get the point.

2. McCaffrey enhances one of the 49ers' strengths

The decision to get Christian McCaffrey sees the 49ers doubling down this season and possibly the next two. It also enables the team to enhance one element at which they are currently better than most other teams in the NFL.

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Keep in mind that the 49ers have a really solid offensive line. What they have is an o-line that can regularly deliver strong, downhill blocks for every position. They are arguably better positioned to win at the snap than any other offensive line in the NFL. As proof, this is a group that has already made guys like Raheem Mostert, Matt Brieda, Jeff Wilson Jr., and Elijah Mitchell look very good.

If they can do that, what more with someone like CMC, right? Remember that McCaffrey was averaging nearly a career-high (4.6 yards per rush) while playing for one of the worst offenses in football this year in Carolina. An offensive line that already looks good will look even better thanks to McCaffrey.

1. Christian McCaffrey adds enough depth to push the 49ers ahead in the NFC West

The 49ers have a tremendous opportunity in front of them in the NFC West.

The Los Angeles Rams are the current Super Bowl winners. However, they are 3-3 and have not played anything like defending champs should. The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, are 3-4 as of this writing. Additionally, the Seattle Seahawks are 3-3 after dealing Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Their division is wide open and ripe for the taking. The 49ers are also right at the top of it at 3-3 despite dealing with a slew of injuries.

Yes, it's a bummer that young QB Trey Lance is out for the season. However, the 49ers still have a somewhat reliable passer in Jimmy Garopoolo. That's on top of a number of other elite players. Keep in mind as well that after reaching the Super Bowl and the NFC Championship Game in the previous three seasons, this might pave the way for another long playoff run. Someone like McCaffrey offers them an explosive weapon to pair with Samuel and Kittle.

The fact is that in his position, there just aren't many better than McCaffrey. He already has 393 running yards, 277 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns in six games for a Panthers squad that has slogged to a 1-5 record.

Opposing defenses concentrated heavily on him in Carolina, but now they must contend with Kittle, Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and others in San Francisco. That gives CMC much more room to do damage. He may not lead the entire league in rushing yards anytime soon, but McCaffrey gives this team enough depth for them to exploit the opportunities in front of them in the NFC.

Interestingly enough, McCaffrey's father, Ed, was a wide receiver in Mike Shanahan's Super Bowl-winning offense for the Broncos. We feel that's a sign from the football gods that CMC was fated to be sent to San Francisco and help activate this offense.

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