The San Francisco 49ers are set to hold their first practice of the week this afternoon, with all eyes on running back Christian McCaffrey. He missed Monday night's game against the New York Jets due to calf and Achilles injuries.
McCaffrey sat out most of training camp and the entire preseason due to the injuries. Head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that the player is dealing with Achilles tendinitis, but downplayed the severity, suggesting that McCaffrey would have played had Monday's game been a playoff matchup.
"But when you hear that type of stuff, and it's not a playoff game, and it's Week 1, and especially when you're dealing with the lower extremities like that, it was a tough decision, but hearing all the words and stuff, in the long run, it made it easy," Shanahan said.
The big question remains whether McCaffrey will suit up for Sunday's road game against the Minnesota Vikings, which will be played on artificial turf.
"It feels to me, just taking stock of the situation, talking to people involved, that Christian McCaffrey is a long shot to play this week against the Minnesota Vikings," NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport said on NFL Network.
From @GMFB: #49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) feels like a long-shot for Sunday against the #Vikings. pic.twitter.com/PR41Qc3wkQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 11, 2024
Most expected McCaffrey to play on Monday, which made the 49ers' decision to list him as inactive just 90 minutes before kickoff surprising.
"I think we all thought, in fact, the 49ers all thought, that Christian McCaffrey was going to shake off a little tightness that he felt late in the week of practice, be able to work out, and be able to play Monday night against the Jets," Rapoport added.
Three days before the game, McCaffrey sounded confident about his availability, hoping to get his usual workload in the regular-season opener. However, after a pregame workout, it was clear he wasn't ready.
Rapoport notes that the Achilles tendinitis seems to be the biggest concern and is requiring the most attention, which is why McCaffrey missed Week 1.
"He is as good as it gets," Rapoport commented. "They want him healthy for the stretch run, so it makes sense for the 49ers to pull back a little bit and ensure when he hits the field again, he is fully healthy."
If McCaffrey is unable to play, the 49ers appear well-prepared. Jordan Mason filled in against the Jets and delivered a career-high 147 rushing yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
