Kyle Juszczyk: Christian McCaffrey looks "incredible" and will "change everything" for 49ers

The 49ers had a lot of change after a 6-11 season. While they lost a lot of talent, a big talent is returning.

Christian McCaffrey, who won offensive player of the year in 2023, is returning from an injury-plagued 2024 season that saw him play only four games. The running back said this week that he was “feeling great.”

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is expecting a bounce-back season from McCaffrey, which could help the 49ers bounce back.

“Christian is arguably the best player in the NFL,” Juszczyk told Vic Tafur of TheAthletic.com. this week. “He was the offensive player of the year two years ago. He changes everything, and he looks incredible. He looks so healthy. He looks so explosive.”

McCaffrey began last season on injured reserve and ended the season on injured reserve. He missed eight games with bi-lateral Achilles tendinitis and then played only 167 snaps before a posterior cruciate ligament injury ended his season.

He had 50 carries for 202 yards.

If he can stay healthy and produce anywhere close to the numbers he did in 2023 when he ran for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns, the 49ers will be better. How much remains to be seen.

“I think we’ve been extremely hungry this whole offseason,” Juszczyk said. “The fact that everybody was there [in the offseason], and everyone was grinding, there was that little extra motivation to really get this thing going.”