The San Francisco 49ers are in a pinch, having lost in the NFC championship first and then in the Super Bowls over the past two years. They are supposed to turn things around this season and match the expectations of a hungry fanbase. However, they’ll have to do so without Christian McCaffrey, who will remain sidelined for another four weeks.
As reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the SF 49ers have placed their running back on injured reserve due to the calf injury and Achilles tendonitis he has been recovering from.
If the NFL gods show mercy, McCaffrey will be back behind the scrimmage line before his team faces the Seahawks in Week 6. In the meantime (four weeks), they will have to make do without the RB, starting with the week 2 bout against the Vikings tomorrow.
Following that game, they will face the Rams, Patriots, and Cardinals in the subsequent three weeks.
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During Week 17 of the regular season last year, McCaffrey initially injured his Achilles. Although he had about five months to heal, his progress was hindered just a week into the training camp.
Consequently, he was unable to participate in the remainder of the camps or the preseason matchups, which seemed like ample time for the ball carrier to regain his strength. And on top of that, HC Kyle Shanahan initially downplayed the severity of the injury, saying that he wasn’t too concerned about it. Clearly, the situation has since worsened.
The 49ers held their own without the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year in the backfield for their season opener. Despite all the hype around the Jets’ new and improved roster that stretched to both sides of the ball, the Super Bowl runner-ups won the matchup 32-19. But McCaffrey’s absence was still felt.
Backup Jordan Mason balled out, rushing for 152 yards and a touchdown from just 29 touches. But fans and analysts alike know for a fact that McCaffrey would have made a significant impact against the Jets’ weak defense last week.
For now, Deebo Samuel will have to hold the fort. While two of their upcoming four games should be manageable, the reigning NFC champs will need to push their limits to win all of them or at least three out of four.
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