Christian McCaffrey Vows To 'Work Smarter,' 'Come Back Better' After Knee Injury

Fantasy football managers frustrated with Christian McCaffrey should feel comfortable picking him again next year ... 'cause he just promised to "come back better" in 2025 from his recent rash of injuries.

The three-time Pro Bowl running back made the vow in an emotional message on his Instagram page Wednesday ... just a few days after the 49ers placed him on injured reserve with a PCL injury.

"This wasn’t my year," he admitted in the note, "and sometimes when it rains, it pours. You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder than ever to come back better from this."

McCaffrey -- the consensus No. 1 pick in FF drafts this past summer -- played in just four games for SF this season, spending the entire first half of the year on the bench battling Achilles tendonitis.

He had played well in his November return, but after injuring his knee against Buffalo, his 2024 season is now in jeopardy.

Still, he made it clear he's not going to be discouraged.

"Football is the greatest game on the planet to me," the 28-year-old said. "I love that you can find out exactly who you are without ever saying a word. It lifts you up and breaks you down and it can happen fast."