49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Unlikely for Sunday, may play Week 10
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that McCaffrey (Achilles) is unlikely to practice this week, but the 49ers are hopeful the running back will be able to return after their Week 9 bye for a Nov. 10 game at Tampa Bay, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Shanahan added that he would be "surprised" if McCaffrey is able to play Sunday against the Cowboys, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. The 49ers can designate McCaffrey to return from injured reserve at any point, which would allow him to get back on the practice field and give San Francisco 21 days in which to activate him. With McCaffrey still sidelined, though, Jordan Mason will continue to operate as the 49ers' lead running back.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Won't return Week 7
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that McCaffrey (Achilles) won't return to practice next week, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
It means McCaffrey will miss at least one more game, leaving either Jordan Mason (shoulder) or Isaac Guerendo as the lead back for a Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 20. Mason suffered an AC joint sprain during Thursday's win over Seattle, leaving Guerendo and Patrick Taylor to handle backfield snaps after halftime.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Encouraging signs after workouts
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McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) won't return when eligible Week 6 against the Seahawks, but he did on-field work this week and didn't experience any flareups, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.
The workouts marked McCaffrey's first on-field activity since landing on injured reserve Sept. 14 and came less than two weeks after he visited a specialist in Germany. Schefter notes that while McCaffrey is dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, the issue is concentrated mainly to one of his legs at this stage, and the running back's lack of a flareup this week was viewed as "mild encouragement." Even so, McCaffrey's return will be dependent on how he fares in practice, and Schefter relays that the 28-year-old may be ready to play as soon as Oct. 20 versus Kansas City if he steers clear of setbacks. Schefter also acknowledges the possibility that San Francisco could opt to sit McCaffrey out through the team's Week 9 bye in order to give him an extra week of recovery, so an actual target date for a return remains hazy. Jordan Mason will continue to start at running back for the 49ers for as long as McCaffrey remains out.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Has tendinitis in both Achilles
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that McCaffrey is tending to tendinitis in both of his Achilles, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports. "I think it started in one, and you overcompensate, it went to the other," Shanahan added. "Mainly one of them has just been bothering him, but he's had it in both."
After a recent visit to Germany to meet with a specialist, McCaffrey returned to San Francisco, and a plan for ramping up his activity level was mentioned by Shanahan last Thursday on 104.5 KNBR. In particular, Shanahan noted the 49ers will "start testing it out here sooner rather than later." McCaffrey must remain on injured reserve through at least Week 5, but he's slated to miss more time than that considering he has no timetable to return. A report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Sunday relayed that McCaffrey may run on hard ground this week, and there's a chance he'll be back in action by early November. The coming weeks should be key to determining when McCaffrey could be available for his season debut.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: May be eying early November return
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There's a chance McCaffrey (Achilles) will run on hard ground this coming week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
McCaffrey, who is dealing with Achilles tendonitis, remains on IR and without a clear timetable for a return, but Rapoport suggests that the running back should be back, at least, by early November. In the meantime, Jordan Mason is on track to lead the 49ers' backfield while McCaffrey remains sidelined.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Ready to increase activity level
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that McCaffrey (Achilles) may "start hitting the rehab here harder on Monday," Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
McCaffrey has returned from his trip to Germany to see a specialist for his Achilles tendinitis. He won't be eligible to return from injured reserve until Week 6 and still may be out much longer than that, but it sounds like he's at least gotten clearance to increase his activity level within the next few days.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Plan coming together for recovery
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday on 104.5 KNBR that the 49ers will "probably turn it up here in the next couple of weeks" with McCaffrey (calf/Achilles). "We'll start testing it out here sooner rather than later," Shanahan added.
Because McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve prior to the 49ers' Week 2 loss at Minnesota, he won't be eligible to practice until before a Week 6 road matchup with the Seahawks. Having said that, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Sept. 15 that McCaffrey could miss six weeks or perhaps more than that. If San Francisco ultimately designates McCaffrey to return from IR, he'd have three weeks to test out his Achilles before the team would need to make a decision to activate him. The hope is that his recent visit to Germany to meet with a specialist will aid in the recovery of what's been ailing McCaffrey, but for as long as he's sidelined, the 49ers will entrust most of the backfield reps to Jordan Mason.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Visiting specialist in Germany
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that McCaffrey flew to Germany over the weekend to visit with a specialist for his Achilles tendinitis, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
The saga surrounding McCaffrey continues as he seeks all avenues to get past an injury that has plagued him since early August. Shanahan noted McCaffrey is slated to spend multiple days in Germany, perhaps with the aim to precipitate his recovery. With three games missed during his current absence, he still must reside on injured reserve for at least two more games, but there's an expectation that he'll be out six weeks and maybe more than that, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. In the meantime, Jordan Mason will continue to pace San Francisco's backfield.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Likely facing six-plus-week absence
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McCaffrey (calf), who was placed on injured reserve Saturday, is "likely to be out six weeks or potentially more" while he recovers from Achilles tendinitis, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
McCaffrey's placement on IR ensures that he'll miss the 49ers' next four games, but Rapoport suggests that the team is preparing for the star tailback to miss additional time beyond that. The 28-year-old isn't helped by the fact that the 49ers will play a Thursday night game in Seattle in Week 6, the first game in which McCaffrey would be eligible to return from IR. While Rapoport notes that McCaffrey won't be at an elevated risk of tearing his Achilles once he eventually plays again, the running back's Achilles tendinitis is regarded as a painful injury that will require rest and rehab for him to properly heal. Jordan Mason played 81 percent of the 49ers' offensive snaps and took on 29 touches in a Week 1 win over the Jets, and he looks like he could be in line for a heavy workload for the duration of McCaffrey's absence.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Headed to IR
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McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) will be placed on injured reserve Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
This move became a clear possibility when McCaffrey didn't practice Friday and was subsequently ruled out for Sunday's Week 2 contest versus Minnesota. McCaffrey will now be required to miss San Francisco's next four contests, thus his earliest return date is Oct. 10 versus Seattle on Thursday Night Football. Jordan Mason will continue to hold lead running back duties for the 49ers for as long as McCaffrey remains sidelined.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Move to IR imminent?
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The 49ers may place McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) on injured reserve Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
In order to start McCaffrey's four-game tally, at the very least, on IR, San Francisco can take that approach before Saturday's 4:00 p.m. ET deadline for such a transaction. He initially dealt with a calf strain throughout training camp and the preseason, but his situation was thrown into no-man's land when Achilles was attached to his name on the team's first Week 1 injury report last Thursday. There was no indication outside the 49ers' organization that McCaffrey was in danger of sitting out this past Monday against the Jets until inactives dropped before the game, and since then it was revealed he was tending to Achilles tendinitis, which requires rest to get past completely. With Jordan Mason faring well in McCaffrey's absence, the team seems poised to roll with the former out of the backfield in the short term, with the aim to get its star RB healthy with the second half of the season and playoffs in mind.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Uncertain for Week 2
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49ers GM John Lynch said Friday morning that he doesn't know if McCaffrey (Achilles) will play Sunday at the Vikings, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
"Dealing with Achilles tendinitis, [it] could be good one day and then it flares," Lynch said. "Been frustrating. We're thinking in long view. We need Christian healthy, fully out there and don't want to compromise anything." Lynch's comments suggest McCaffrey is headed for another questionable designation, after being listed that way last week and ultimately missing Monday's win over the Jets. Jordan Mason filled in with 28 carries for 147 yards and a TD on an 81 percent snap share in the 32-19 victory, with WR Deebo Samuel also getting some snaps as a running back and matching his career high of eight carries.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Another limited session
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McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) remained limited at Thursday's practice, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
The waiting game continues for McCaffrey after he sat out Monday's win against the Jets due to a strained calf and Achilles tendinitis. The 49ers are more concerned about the second injury, but McCaffrey has looked like himself during the parts of recent practices open to the media. Still, even if he gets back to all activity Friday, McCaffrey seems like a good bet to enter the weekend with a designation for Sunday's game in Minnesota. If McCaffrey is inhibited or sidelined in that contest, Jordan Mason again would get the call at running back for the 49ers, with wide receiver Deebo Samuel also mixing in.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Slated to practice Thursday
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McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) is in uniform and expected to participate in Thursday's practice, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
After practicing in a limited fashion Wednesday, McCaffrey looks poised to take reps for the second day in a row, but the extent of his participation won't be known until the 49ers release their second Week 2 injury report later Thursday. Inman notes that 49ers players aren't wearing full pads for Thursday's session, so McCaffrey may not be taking contact even if he increases his activity from Wednesday. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported earlier this week that McCaffrey was viewed as a long shot to play Sunday versus the Vikings, but the 49ers aren't yet ruling him out from being available in some capacity.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Facing uphill battle to play Week 2
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McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) appears to be a long shot to play Sunday against the Vikings, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Citing those familiar with the running back's injury, Rapoport suggests that the 49ers are leaning toward holding McCaffrey out for another week while he manages Achilles tendinitis in addition to a calf strain that dates back to early August. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan intimated Tuesday that the Achilles issue is the greater concern for McCaffrey at this time and is requiring more treatment than the pulled calf. Though McCaffrey could still practice in some fashion this week and perhaps even take a questionable designation into Sunday, Jordan Mason looks to be the early favorite to receive another turn as the 49ers' lead back. Mason turned 29 touches into 152 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown while McCaffrey sat out Monday's 32-19 win over the Jets, with wideout Deebo Samuel (eight carries) essentially serving as the No. 2 back.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: To be inactive Monday
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McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) is in line to be inactive Monday against the Jets, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
In a surprise turn of events, the 49ers won't have McCaffrey available due to the combined calf/Achilles injury that he's tended to since early August. Jordan Mason thus should serve as the team's top running back Week 1.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Remains likely to play Monday
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McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Jets, but he expects to play and handle something close to his normal workload, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Rapoport relays that McCaffrey expects to take on around 15 to 20 touches, which isn't far off the 21.9 combined carries and receptions per game that he averaged over his 19 regular-season and playoff appearances in 2023. McCaffrey won't be formally cleared until the 49ers release their inactive list approximately 90 minutes prior to Monday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, but fantasy managers can feel comfortable locking him into their Week 1 lineups.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Questionable for Monday
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McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) is listed as questionable for Monday's game against the Jets, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
McCaffrey said Friday that he will be available for the season opener, and while the expectation remains that he'll be cleared ahead of Monday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, his questionable designation could hint that the 49ers plan to manage his workload. Regardless of McCaffrey's availability and touch count in Week 1, Jordan Mason should be primed for some work as the primary backup to the star running back.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Listed as limited Friday
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McCaffrey (calf) was a limited practice participant Friday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
He has just one more chance to progress to full participation before Monday's game against the Jets, but it does seem McCaffrey is on track to play after 49ers GM John Lynch made optimistic comments Friday morning, saying the running back is "doing great" and will "be out there and ready to go," per Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News. The Niners listed McCaffrey as a limited participant Thursday as well, and he may end up being technically questionable even if the team expects him to play.
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49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Looking healthy at practice
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McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) is practicing Friday and appears to be moving well and without issue, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
49ers GM John Lynch said Friday morning that McCaffrey looks like his usual self and is expected to play in Monday's game against the Jets. McCaffrey was listed as limited Thursday on San Francisco's first official injury/practice report of the season, but it sounds like he may progress to full participation Friday or Saturday. His calf injury initially was reported the first week of August, about five weeks before San Francisco's season opener this coming Monday.
