Superstar running back Christian McCaffrey dealt with a lower leg issue at the beginning of the 2024 season, and just when he was healthy enough to play four games in the middle of the schedule, he was sidelined again with a knee injury.
McCaffrey's encore to his 2023 Offensive Player of the Year win was anything but memorable, but of course, that was out of his control.
He has made it clear that he is fully committed to returning to top form in 2025 now that he is back healthy after a longer offseason. McCaffrey's return is a much-needed boost for the 49ers' offense, which will be without top receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton also believes that McCaffrey will have an impact on not just the 49ers, but the entire makeup of the NFC West this season.
The 49ers' team success has been directly tied to the play of their ball carrier McCaffrey. San Francisco was 10-1 after trading for him in 2022. The next season, McCaffrey won the rushing title and powered the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance.
Last year was his first major injury scare since joining the Niners, and the team's 6-11 record shows just how much of an impact his absence made.
That's why there are two factors in McCaffrey becoming the biggest "x-factor" of the 2025 season in this division: his availability and his workload.
As long as "CMC" is in the backfield, the San Francisco offense will run smoothly, as Moton references the ground game as a "staple" part of Kyle Shanahan's scheme.
Bumps and bruises may come, but hopefully, a long offseason after missing the playoffs benefits McCaffrey's body to get him fully healed and prepared for a 17-game season.
Once he's on the field, how will he be used?
McCaffrey's remarks about his health this spring offer some confidence that he can withstand a full workload, but as one of the most versatile backs in the league, that won't be easy coming off two slow-recovering injuries.
Aiyuk being out could predict a slight uptick in carries, but quarterback Brock Purdy still has numerous weapons to keep the passing game afloat, including McCaffrey himself.
We'd expect Shanahan to ease his star running back into the offense, so judging how his body responds to the load each week will determine his usage going forward.
In an ideal world, that usage rate will hit its peak at least by the midway point of the season and be expected to maintain to the finish.
As we've seen in the past, the 49ers' success is dependent on a healthy McCaffrey performing at his best. San Francisco was at the bottom of the division last season, but they are not content with staying there long.
If things are clicking with McCaffrey and the offense, it means bad news for the rest of the NFC West.