CMC's injury changes who 49ers are even as Mason thrives

MINNEAPOLIS — Running back Jordan Mason was one of the 49ers' bright spots in an otherwise dismal Week 2 performance.

But there also is no getting around the fact the 49ers are not the same team without Christian McCaffrey, who will be sidelined for at least another three games due to Achilles tendinitis and a calf strain.

With McCaffrey placed on injured reserve, the Minnesota Vikings could play the 49ers more straight-up on third downs Sunday in their 23-17 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“I think just being able to drop back in zone and not having to put two guys on a running back coming out of the backfield like Christian,” quarterback Brock Purdy answered when asked how teams can play the 49ers differently when their top back is not on the field.

McCaffrey is a unique player due to his prowess as both a runner and receiver. Last year, he was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns and catching 67 passes for 564 yards and seven scores.

Mason got his second start with McCaffrey out, and he came through with his second 100-yard performance. Mason rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 20 attempts.

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The 49ers are not asking Mason to do anything out of the ordinary during McCaffrey’s absence, coach Kyle Shanahan said.

“He does what he's been doing since he's been here,” Shanahan said. “We've had two guys go down already, so I think it's pretty obvious to him he's the starter. That's the case.”

Mason entered training camp as the No. 3 running back on the team’s depth chart. But backup Elijah Mitchell sustained a season-ending hamstring injury during training camp.

And, now, McCaffrey is out indefinitely with his condition. Shanahan said nobody has any idea how much time McCaffrey will miss.

“Nobody knows,” Shanahan said. “We're dealing with tendinitis so there’s not one person [who] knows. He doesn't know. We don't know.

“[We'll] take it day by day by putting him on IR for at least four weeks. That will give him some time to rest and kind of protect him from himself, too. No matter how he's feeling, it's four at the minimum.”

Mason has carried a large workload in the 49ers’ first two games of the season, and there figures to be more of the same in the future. He already has 48 rushing attempts for 247 yards and two touchdowns in two games.

As a rookie in 2022, Mason set previous NFL single-season career-highs with 43 rushing attempts for 258 yards.

Mason provided the 49ers with their only threat in the rushing game on Sunday.

Purdy had two scrambles for 12 yards. Backup running back Isaac Guerendo had no yards on one carry, and receiver Deebo Samuel had minus-10 yards on two rushing attempts.

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