Christian McCaffrey's Injury Forces 49ers to Adjust Strategy

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers placed All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve due to his lingering calf and Achilles tendon injuries. This critical move means McCaffrey will miss at least four more games after already sitting out the season opener. He can potentially return for a Thursday night game in Seattle on Oct. 10. McCaffrey sustained an injury early in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before making a limited return to the field last week. Unfortunately, he was a late scratch for the opener against the Jets and now finds himself sidelined again after experiencing pain after Thursday’s practice.

Last season, McCaffrey led the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, earning the AP Offensive Player of the Year award. In McCaffrey's absence, backup Jordan Mason stepped up, delivering a strong performance with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers' 32-19 victory over the New York Jets. Mason will start again against Minnesota. After missing 23 games due to injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey had remarkably been healthy for the past two seasons, missing just one game combined in 2022-23. The 798 combined touches he recorded in regular and playoff seasons were the third most for any player over a two-year span in the past decade.

San Francisco is now leaning heavily on Mason, a former undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech, who had limited touches prior to the season opener, making his performance impressive. The 49ers also possess fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. on their active roster. Guerendo only participated in three offensive snaps with no touches in the opener, while Taylor had 65 carries for Green Bay from 2021-23. Additionally, San Francisco elevated safety Tracy Walker III from the practice squad for their upcoming game against Minnesota.