The San Francisco 49ers won’t have Christian McCaffrey for a second straight week.
San Francisco ruled out the All-Pro running back for Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings due to calf and Achilles injuries, the team announced Friday.
McCaffrey was a surprise inactive in Week 1 after originally saying he expected to play. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the 49ers’ win Monday that the injuries were bothering the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year “a little too much.”
Shanahan also said earlier this week that San Francisco wasn’t considering placing McCaffrey on the injured reserve, which would sideline the tailback for at least four more games. However, Shanahan told reporters Friday that an IR stint is now an option after McCaffrey had his worst day in terms of pain Thursday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
Staying healthy was an issue for McCaffrey through his early NFL seasons as a member of the Carolina Panthers. However, the 28-year-old has played in 26 games since being traded to the 49ers midway through the 2022 campaign.
The 2017 top-10 pick put on a show in 2023, leading the league in touches (339), scrimmage yards (2,023), and touchdowns (21). He played 19 contests last season, including the playoffs.
With McCaffrey sidelined, Jordan Mason is expected to start at running back for San Francisco again. The 2022 undrafted free agent stepped up in Week 1, rushing for 147 yards (5.3 per carry) and one touchdown to help the Niners beat the Jets. The 49ers will also likely keep Deebo Samuel involved in the run game, as the star receiver carried the ball eight times Monday.
Mason said last week that he found out Friday night that he’d start in place of an injured McCaffrey. However, Shanahan later revealed that San Francisco didn’t decide anything regarding its RB1 status until Monday before the Jets game, which led to the NFL looking into the situation.
The NFL announced Friday that it found no evidence that the 49ers violated the league’s injury report policy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
