It was not too long ago that Christian McCaffrey was considered the gold standard at running back in the NFL. Along with that distinction came another designation: the highest-paid player at his position in league history. That was back in 2020, but since then, McCaffrey has been supplanted by Saquon Barkley as the top earner among running backs.
This season, neither player ranks in the top 10 in rushing yards. Barkley currently sits 11th with 519 yards, while McCaffrey is 13th with 490 yards. However, last week Barkley had a breakout performance, rushing for a season-high 150 yards against the Giants. That game dropped New York to 30th in the league in run defense, allowing 148.9 rushing yards per game.
Up next, could McCaffrey get a similar boost when the 49ers face the Giants defense this Sunday at MetLife Stadium?
“He can do it all,’’ said Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. “They’ve got a really good scheme. He can run outside, he’s got speed. He can run downhill and find creases. He can jump-cut with great vision. Obviously, what he can do out of the backfield is an issue, creating matchups that way for him, getting him the ball in space, and letting him do his thing. They use him in a lot of different ways, and he’s very effective at all of them.”
McCaffrey presents a greater threat as a pass catcher, leading all running backs with 56 receptions this season. However, his yards-per-rush average of 3.5 is the lowest among the top 35 rushers in the NFL this year. In contrast, Barkley averaged an impressive 10.7 yards per carry in last week’s game against the Giants.
Reflecting on the Giants’ struggles against Barkley, Bowen admitted, “It was probably one of our worst tackling games. We need to be more defined in terms of gap control. When the guys behind me get uncertain, things get a little gray, then loose. Good backs find those openings and exploit them.”
When asked to clarify his comment about “lying to the guys behind us,” Bowen explained, “Yeah, I think it’s about making sure my hat is where it’s supposed to be because you have second-level and third-level defenders. If you start playing peekaboo trying to show up and confuse the offense, sometimes the guys don’t know how to fit properly, and it just gets loose.”
On the 49ers’ side, head coach Mike Shanahan revealed they had interest in selecting running back Cam Skattebo on Day 2 of the NFL Draft (second or third round). Skattebo was eventually drafted in the fourth round by the Giants, where he made a big impact before being sidelined for the season due to surgery to repair a dislocated ankle.
“We loved him,” Shanahan said. “He was awesome.”
Meanwhile, WR Ray-Ray McCloud was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday to make his Giants debut. The well-traveled McCloud, 29, signed with the Giants on October 23. He had his most productive season in 2024 with the Falcons, recording 62 receptions.
Linebacker Zaire Barnes was also activated from the practice squad. Cornerback Rico Payton was activated off injured reserve, while CB Art Green was placed on IR.
Defensively, the 49ers have recorded just nine sacks this season. Only the Jaguars, with eight sacks, have fewer. The Niners’ sack leaders, Bryce Huff (four sacks) and Nick Bosa (two sacks), are both injured and will not play against the Giants.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/sports/giants-bracing-for-possible-christian-mccaffrey-breakout-game/
