In a disappointing update for 49ers fans, Christian McCaffrey has been listed as inactive for Monday Night Football against the Jets due to calf and Achilles injuries. Earlier, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported that McCaffrey would miss Week 1, but the situation has worsened.
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NFL Insider Adam Schefter now suggests that McCaffrey could also miss the Week 2 game against the Vikings, as the injury appears more serious than initially thought. This marks the first time McCaffrey has missed a 49ers game because of injury since joining the team in 2022.
On ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, Schefter revealed that McCaffrey and the 49ers initially thought the injury was not a “big deal”. As a result, they expected him to play against the Jets. However, during Monday’s training, McCaffrey’s “calf was still tight,” leading the 49ers to make a tough decision. Schefter noted:
“Now let’s keep in mind he basically didn’t practice whole summer. Not just calf, but it was also his Achilles. So, you got two issues here. And they decided in the interest of it being a long season to hold him out tonight, not to activate him, to put him on the bench. Jordan Mason is going to start tonight. And not only is Christian McCaffrey out tonight, but there is a real chance he’s not going to play on Sunday either.”
McCaffrey faces a tight recovery window with the 49ers set to play the Vikings on the road. Thus Schefter admitted, “there’s a real, strong possibility” that McCaffrey will be sidelined again on Sunday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan previously announced on August 6 that McCaffrey was dealing with a calf injury, which kept him out of all preseason games and most training camp practices. With McCaffrey nursing both calf and Achilles issues, Jordan Mason must step up to fill the void.
Despite expressing optimism ahead of the Jets game, it’s clear the 49ers are cautious about rushing McCaffrey back, given his importance to their playoff and Super Bowl hopes.
