After missing the first nine weeks of the 2024 NFL season due to injury, Christian McCaffrey returned to the field in Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Since returning to the field, McCaffrey has gained 149 yards on the ground on 43 attempts, a rate of 3.5 yards per attempt. In the 49ers' ugly loss to the Green Bay Packers, McCaffrey managed just 31 yards on 11 attempts. His unusually quiet performance against the Packers included a fumble at the end of a long catch-and-run.
In a recent Next Gen Stats tracking data shared by ESPN's Benjamin Solak, it was shown that the reigning Offensive Player of the Year has yet to reach peak speed in 2024 after his worst game last season. The data shows that McCaffrey's top speed has declined since returning from injury.
Over on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BenjaminSolak/status/1861573877895250372
Perhaps playing a role in McCaffrey's slow start since his return is the 49ers' difficulty blocking runs. According to Pro Football Focus, the 49ers have had a blocking score of under 70 runs in each of the last three games.
With a 5-6 schedule and the 9-2 Buffalo Bills next up, the 49ers will have to continue to rely on McCaffrey to have a chance at making a run in the final stretch of the season.
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