After two seasons of avoiding it, the injury bug has bitten Christian McCaffrey again. The San Francisco 49ers emerged from Week 1 against the New York Jets victorious and unscathed in star running back McCaffrey’s absence. They will do everything it takes and more to keep doing the same thing without him for at least the next four weeks.
The 49ers are placing McCaffrey on injured reserve as he continues to battle and recover from a lingering calf injury and Achilles tendonitis, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
On Friday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan reluctantly acknowledged for the first time since initially announcing McCaffrey’s injury on August 6 during training camp, that injured reserve was in the realm of possibilities. That came in the aftermath of McCaffrey’s Achilles flaring up and not responding well to limited participation in practice Thursday.
“Yesterday was his worst day,” Shanahan said. “It’s on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain. It’s something we’re going to be discussing together in the next 24 hours.”
The reigning Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year, McCaffrey balled out of his mind last season and led or tied for the league lead in touches (339), rushing yards (1,459), yards from scrimmage (2,032) and scrimmage touchdowns (21).
He has been one of the straws that stirs the drink and an invaluable part of San Francisco’s run since he joined the team in October 2022 in a trade with the Carolina Panthers, and was looking forward to asserting his dominance and playing a massive role as the 49ers desperately attempt to get over the hump, having lost in the NFC Championship Game to the Philadelphia Eagles and Super Bowl to the Chiefs the past two years, respectively.
Embed from Getty ImagesMcCaffrey was on ice for the lions’ share of training camp and did not see the field in the three-game preseason due to a calf strain that coach Shanahan publicized.
The fear of him missing significant time seemed low, as Shanahan explained a few weeks later he was not worried about McCaffrey’s readiness while dealing with the injury. More pressing issues were on the table, mainly left tackle Trent Williams holding out and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk holding in due to contract disputes.
But those standoffs both came to an end prior to Week 1, and Williams and Aiyuk suited up for the team’s 32-19 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Jets on Monday Night Football.
It was a shock to everyone that McCaffrey did not, and now he will not for the foreseeable future.
“I hate not playing,” McCaffrey said Wednesday. “But I look at it as a chess move and something that hopefully you can benefit from the rest of the season.”
Jordan Mason served as San Francisco’s RB1 in place of McCaffrey, exploding for 152 yards, 147 of them on the ground and a touchdown on 29 touches. It was an out of this world prime-time performance that carries over well for the 49ers being able to withstand a prolonged stretch without their most dangerous weapon, but there is still no replacing everything the versatile McCaffrey, a two-time All-Pro and one of the finest pass-catching backs in the NFL, brings to the table.
It will most likely take Swiss army knife Deebo Samuel spending more time and contributing in the backfield as he did on Monday to help fill the large receiving void there, plus a greater dash of backups Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor who had a sparse three offensive snaps combined in Week 1, to keep Mason fresh in his potentially newfound bell cow role.
The 49ers play the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals over their next four games. If CMC spends the minimum amount of time on IR, he could make his season debut for a Thursday night division clash against the Seattle Seahawks on October 10.
San Francisco’s two games scheduled between that contest and a Week 9 bye take place at home against the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys.
