Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey was “healthy and doing great” earlier this month, but it’s still notable that McCaffrey is going through OTAs without any restrictions. “As soon as that injury happened in Buffalo, I was kind of. . . . This was my goal, to not miss a day of OTAs, be back, ready to go, with nothing hindering me, and that’s where I’m at,” McCaffrey told reporters. We know it’s going to take one blurb a day of McCaffrey being healthy before anyone believes the 49ers after last offseason, but we’re off to a strong start before the draft. McCaffrey should be an RB1 — if healthy — in 2025 fantasy drafts.

Shanahan expressed no concerns about McCaffrey’s 2025 status after he missed much of the 2024 season with an ongoing Achilles injury. CMC totaled 348 yards over four games last season, posting the lowest rushing success rate of his NFL career. Shanahan complimented Isaac Guerendo, who “ran harder as the year went, which is a good sign.” The team this offseason parted ways with RB Jordan Mason, who was traded to the Vikings. Guerendo started three games and averaged a healthy five yards per carry on 84 rushing attempts last season. He could be used as a complement to McCaffrey in 2025 if the Niners are intent on keeping the veteran healthy and upright in his ninth NFL season.

Speaking at Wednesday’s press conference, Lynch said McCaffrey was “doing really well” in his recovery from the Achilles tendinitis and PCL injuries that limited him to just four games last season. McCaffrey isn’t getting any younger. He’ll be 29 at the start of next season, and his injury-plagued 2024 only serves as a reminder for how quickly a running back’s career can go sideways. While he’s expected to serve as the 49ers’ RB1 if healthy, the Niners need to figure out what to do at the position outside of McCaffrey. Explosive rookie Isaac Guerendo remains on the team, but Elijah Mitchell will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and last year’s leading rusher, Jordan Mason is no lock to return as a restricted free agent. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 49ers address running back via the draft or free agency, but it’s good to hear that CMC appears to be on the path toward a return for next season.

McCaffrey told reporters he could have played if the 49ers had made the playoffs. He will probably still be in the RB1 pool on the massive upside of his receiving talent in 2025 drafts, but he looked noticeably slower when he returned in 2024 and, well, we won’t blame grudge-holding fantasy managers for not trusting updates about his health after this past season. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in best ball over the coming months.