Kyle Shanahan aims to reduce Christian McCaffrey's workload in 2026: Who could fill 49ers' No. 2 RB role?

The 49ers might have to look outside their facility for a reliable No. 2 ball carrier

Not a single player in the NFL accrued more touches from scrimmage last season than Christian McCaffrey, and it was not even particularly close. But while the San Francisco 49ers superstar made the most of those opportunities and, importantly, stayed healthy for the entire campaign, the team does not want to place that same burden on him in 2026.

McCaffrey's durability entering his age-30 season is remarkable, but at the same time, he is not without a lengthy injury history. The 49ers can ill afford to watch him miss extended action like he did in 2020, 2021 and 2024. Tasking him with 311 carries and 102 catches is a risky endeavor, and it is one that coach Kyle Shanahan would prefer to avoid this year.

"I don't want Christian to have to take on all that," Shanahan said Monday at the NFL's league meeting. "It was amazing that he did and was able to do that. … But in order for us to be the running team we want to be, in order to have Christian be as good as he can be throughout the whole year, we've got to get someone to help him."

Considering that need, it was curious to see the 49ers allow Brian Robinson Jr. to walk in free agency. He will again be one of the NFL's most capable backups in 2026, but instead of spelling McCaffrey, he is set to serve as the understudy to Bijan Robinson with the Atlanta Falcons.

Robinson's departure leaves the 49ers with two in-house backup options in Jordan James and Isaac Guerendo. Neither established himself as a top reserve last season, but perhaps one or the other can show enough in the coming months to gain Shanahan's trust as a bona fide No. 2 weapon.

"We do need some better runners going to help Christian out," Shanahan said. "I think Jordan James did show that. Isaac has shown us that he can be very good in the pass game. You guys saw his rookie year that he is a good runner. We're not a big three-man rotation team, so you've got to really be that one or two guy to get in there."

James is a promising runner and Guerendo is a proven receiver, but neither does both simultaneously at an exceptional level. That could lead San Francisco to look outside the box for a better fit in a Shanahan scheme that requires running backs to provide a little bit of everything.

Here are the 49ers' best options, both in house and on the free agent market, to fill the No. 2 running back spot.

Jordan James or Isaac Guerendo

Guerendo made three starts in 2024 during McCaffrey's most recent extended absence and displayed some flashes as a versatile back, but he fell out of favor last year as strictly a special teams contributor. Climbing all the way back into the No. 2 role in the backfield seems like a steep ask.

James is an unknown commodity after knee and finger injuries limited him to just three games as a rookie. Shanahan appears bullish on him entering Year 2, but considering he has no experience in a significant role, there is no guarantee he can handle the job.

"Jordan James came on really strong at the end of last year, but he missed so much in the beginning," Shanahan said. "He kind of just missed his window to pass some other people up. I wish I would have gotten him on the field more than I did. We got him on there versus Seattle at the end. But he needs to take that next step."

It would be a safer bet to bring someone in from beyond the 49ers' facility.

Najee Harris

A season-ending Achilles injury limited Najee Harris to just three games last year and brought a quick end to his time with the Los Angeles Chargers. He is ready to stage a comeback in 2026, though. The perennial 1,000-yard rusher visited the Seattle Seahawks and this week will check out the Las Vegas Raiders. We've seen the 49ers as an ideal fit for him for some time now, so while he does not have any trips to San Francisco lined up, it could behoove both him and the team to check in on each other.

Suiting up as a No. 2 rusher would allow Harris to ease back into competition with a more modest workload while also putting him one breath away from a starting job. It would be hard to ask for much more after such a serious injury.

Austin Ekeler

One week before Harris suffered his Achilles injury, Austin Ekeler preceded him with a torn Achilles of his own. Trusting a 31-year-old running back to come back from that kind of ailment is not always going to work out well, but Ekeler could be worth a flier. At his peak, he was effectively a "Christian McCaffrey lite" who handled huge rushing and receiving workloads and consistently ranked near the top of the league in scrimmage yards and touchdowns.

He is not the same player he once was, and the injury will only make that more evident. But if the 49ers could back up McCaffrey with someone that boasts his same skill set, it has to be worth considering.

Antonio Gibson

Antonio Gibson was a casualty of the New England Patriots' newfound running back depth in 2025, as he took a backseat to the prolific tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. And then he tore his ACL. He had been a productive secondary option and spot starter for the previous three years, though, and logged a 1,000-yard campaign before that. If he returns to full strength in time for the start of the 2026 season -- which is very much a possibility given that the injury occurred in Week 5 -- he could be a nice late-offseason addition for a team like the 49ers that needs an established depth piece.

Raheem Mostert

It was just two years ago that Raheem Mostert led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and made his first career Pro Bowl appearance. Everything since then has been uninspiring, but what if the 49ers could rekindle some of his magic? If any team other than the Miami Dolphins would know how to do so, it is the 49ers, who rostered Mostert from 2016 through 2021. He had a 10-touchdown year while backing up McCaffrey in 2019 and was a decent fill-in starter the season after. Maybe a reunion could be in store.