Being without Christian McCaffrey is a significant loss for the San Francisco 49ers.
Or is it? Backup running back Jordan Mason has done more than enough to fill the void left by McCaffrey. The 49ers’ offense is still operating at a high level running the football, which is why Mason has the second-most rushing yards (447) in the NFL.
Mason has never been a starter before, yet he has handled his first four starts amazingly well. He’s undeniably a skilled player that the 49ers should feel fortunate to have with McCaffrey out. However, there is one other stat that reveals how impressive Mason is.
According to Next Gen Stats, Mason has forced 36 missed tackles across 98 total touches this season. That’s eight more than the next closest player (Derrick Henry, 28). Mason has forced a missed tackle on 36.7% of his total touches, the third-highest rate in the NFL (min. 30 touches). He’s forced at least 7 missed tackles in each of his four games played this season.
Looking at Mason, you wouldn’t think he is elusive. Once you see him with the football in his hands, you realize quickly that he has some silky smooth jukes. Forcing so many missed tackles and being the league leader for it is tremendous.
But what amplifies this stat that makes Mason so impressive is that he isn’t reliant on the blocking. One thing that the 49ers’ offense is capable of is making lesser talent look great. It is a running back and quarterback-friendly offense. Most running backs have excelled in this offense thanks to the excellent blocking provided from the offensive line.
They create rushing lanes that a simpleton like myself can run through untouched. Mason benefits from that, but he is also creating yards himself. He isn’t solely reliant on what the offensive line is doing thanks to the brilliant running scheme of Kyle Shanahan.
Mason deserves a ton of credit. He is making the most of his opportunities. He is proving to the 49ers that if McCaffrey comes back, he should remain in a key role in the offense. The way he has played this season makes it impossible to have him revert into a special teams player who only sees offensive snaps in garbage time.
Plenty of teams in the league would trade for Mason if he were available. He’s an impressive player who should be highly valued and appreciated. It is thanks to him that the 49ers’ offense isn’t peril with McCaffrey on the mend.
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