Christian McCaffrey is officially out for at least the next month. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers are placing their star running back on injured reserve.
NFL Network Ian Rapoport says the team is hoping McCaffrey will be ready to play when first eligible in Week 6. That Oct. 10 showdown with the Seahawks could end up marking the running back’s season debut, but ESPN’s Nick Wagoner cautions that it’s “no guarantee” that McCaffrey is ready by that date.
McCaffrey was limited with calf issues during the preseason and the practices preceding Week 1, leading to him being a sudden inactive for the team’s season opener. It’s since been revealed that the RB is dealing with a serious case of Achilles tendinitis, but both the player and the team expressed some optimism that the star would be back for Week 2. At the very least, there was optimism that McCaffrey would have to miss only one more game.
However, the organization’s tone changed over the past 24 hours. On Friday, coach Kyle Shanahan definitively ruled out McCaffrey for Week 2 while also admitting that an IR stint was a real possibility. Now, the team will be rolling without their top offensive weapon for at least the next four games.
Jordan Mason had a breakout performance while filling in for his star teammate. The running back finished Week 1 with 152 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, and it sounds like the third-year back will continue to lead the depth chart.
The team actually didn’t give any carries to backups Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor, with wideout Deebo Samuel getting eight rushing attempts of his own. When asked about the receiver’s usage in the running game, Shanahan said it would be a “game by game proposition,” per Wagoner. The head coach also expressed trust in Guerendo and Taylor, so perhaps we’ll see more of the duo in the coming weeks.
