HOUSTON – Ingrained deep inside the DNA of the San Francisco 49ers’ playbook designed by Kyle Shanahan, there’s a smart axiom Kyle Shanahan never ignores.

Get the football in the hands of star running back Christian McCaffrey, by any means necessary.

The game plan of the 49ers, especially with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk out for the season, can be boiled down to this elemental priority. Their strategy is built around getting McCaffrey heavily involved through the running game and through the versatility of his pass-catching skills.

McCaffrey is on pace for 2,383 all-purpose yards and leads the NFL in total offensive touches for a 5-2 squad that has overcome multiple injuries, including quarterback Brock Purdy sidelined again. He’s coming off an NFC Offensive Player of the Week performa

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