ESPN: 49ers to Sit Christian McCaffrey More Than Panthers Did to Avoid Overloading RB

Even though Christian McCaffrey was the driving force behind the San Francisco 49ers offense down the stretch last season, head coach Kyle Shanahan is going to be careful not to overwork the star running back.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, the 49ers intend to take McCaffrey off the field more frequently than the Carolina Panthers did "because they know McCaffrey's injury history and want to avoid overloading him."

Splitting time between the Panthers and 49ers last season, McCaffrey appeared in every game for the first time since 2019. He was able to be on the field for 23 offensive snaps in San Francisco's Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, despite being traded to the team three days before…