McCaffrey, 26, is one of the most versatile weapons in the NFL. He can line up as a traditional running back, H-back or slot receiver, and he’s a willing and able blocker.

In three seasons with Carolina, he’s rushed for 2,920 yards and 21 touchdowns while catching 205 passes for 1,639 yards and 11 touchdowns. Last season, he became the first player in NFL history with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.

The 49ers clearly believe McCaffrey can be that type of difference-maker on offense. They were willing to trade one of their best defensive players, linebacker Kwon Alexander, to get him.

The 49ers haven’t had a player like McCaffrey in a long time. He should make an immediate impact on offense and help the 49ers take the next step in their development.

The 49ers have had a top 10 rushing attack under Shanahan, and that’s with a committee approach. In 2020, they ran for 2,305 yards (seventh in the NFL) and averaged 4.5 yards per carry (tenth). Six different running backs had at least 50 carries last season, led by Wilson’s 133.

McCaffrey can easily exceed those numbers. In his four NFL seasons, he’s caught at least 80 passes three times, including a career-high 102 in 2019. He also has 1,000 receiving yards in a season twice. As for rushing numbers, McCaffrey has topped 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons, including a career-high 1,387 in 2019.

The 49ers have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. They ranked second in run blocking according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric and third in PFF’s grades. They also only allowed 22 sacks, which was the fifth fewest in the league.

With such a strong offensive line, McCaffrey should have plenty of room to run. And with Shanahan’s creative play-calling, he’ll find ways to get McCaffrey the ball in space, whether it’s on a handoff, a screen pass or a wheel route out of the backfield.