MINNEAPOLIS — Coach Kyle Shanahan hinted on Friday that the 49ers were considering placing Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, and on Saturday, San Francisco reportedly will make it a reality.
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year will miss at least four games and will not be eligible to return to practice until Week 6 at the earliest, when the 49ers travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks.
“It’s something we’re considering now,” Shanahan said on Friday after practice. “Yesterday was his worst day. It’s on and off, but with yesterday, having the most pain, it’s something we’re going to be discussing here in the next 24 hours.”
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McCaffrey has been dealing with a calf strain, and maybe more significantly, Achilles tendonitis since the beginning of training camp in July.
The All-Pro shared Wednesday that the injury is not related to the calf strain that placed him on injury reports towards the end of 2023. McCaffrey seemed confident that he would play this Sunday’s contest with the Minnesota Vikings, but Shanahan ruled him out Friday.
While losing McCaffrey for any time is not ideal, this might be the best portion of the season for the 49ers to be without one if its top playmakers. Not only did Jordan Mason prove himself an effective ball carrier with 28 carries for 147 yards in San Francisco's 32-19 win over the New York Jets, but the more challenging part of their schedule comes later down the homestretch of the season.
After the 49ers are done in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, they travel to the Los Angeles to face the division rival Rams on Sept. 22 and then host the New England Patriots on Sept. 29 and Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 6.
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The 49ers' Thursday, Oct. 10 matchup in Seattle Week 6 might be the most challenging contest during the early portion of the season.
Until McCaffrey returns, Shanahan is confident in the stable of running backs he has at his disposal that includes 2024 third-round draft pick Isaac Guerendo and two veterans in Patrick Taylor and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who could be elevated from the practice squad for multiple games, if needed.
“Taylor had real good OTAs and training camp with us,” Shanahan said. “Had a little setback when he did have an injury, but came back and finished strong there that last week, that last preseason game.
“Guerendo, he missed so much time. But then when he got those two games, he was rolling. He looked good in those games, looked the same way in practice.”
Mason technically began the season as a backup, but Shanahan never really has envisioned him that way. The undrafted free agent worked diligently during the offseason to become not only a better ball carrier but a reliable receiver and target for Brock Purdy.
The Georgia Tech product is one in a long line of backs that have had success in Shanahan’s system. After all, in the first six seasons of Shanahan’s tenure with the 49ers, they had a different leading rusher each season.
“It’s different to be down to your third guy already,” Shanahan said. “But we never really looked at Elijah [Mitchell] or JP as two or threes. I think those guys are capable of being ones, as Elijah’s shown in the past. And so has JP. For those, the two new guys, when their opportunity comes, I believe they’re ready.”
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