The San Francisco 49ers went all-in to acquire Christian McCaffrey and pair him with fellow all-around (but currently injured) playmaker Deebo Samuel, but does that move make them rivals? Watch the 49ers (3-4) vs. Rams (3-3) live on Sky Sports NFL at 8:25 pm Sunday.
Christian McCaffrey made his San Francisco 49ers debut last week in a 44-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
San Francisco sent in a second, third and fourth round NFL draft pick the following year for his services, as well as a fifth pick in 2024. It was a high price to pay for a runner who missed most of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to injury.
But having been the “man” at the Carolinas since being drafted eighth overall in 2017, he now joins an offense that already boasts one of the most dynamic playmakers hard to defend in the entire NFL when healthy. : Deebo Samuel.
Not only is it worth asking how McCaffrey is helping improve the Nine, but it’s also worth asking how the opposing defensive coordinators will go about stopping McCaffrey and Samuel.
Let’s take a look at what makes them so special.
Take a quick look at these statistics:
Season A: 287 carries for 1,387 yards, 116 receptions for 1,005 yards, 2,392 yards at scrimmage, and 19 touchdowns.
Season B: 59 carries for 365 yards, 77 receptions for 1,405 yards, 1,770 scrimmage yards, and 14 touchdowns.
It’s not “which one is better?” situation. These numbers – from McCaffrey’s 2019 campaign and Samuel’s breakout season in 2021 – demonstrate just how versatile and interesting these two players are.
