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.
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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.
The Sam Darnold-led team dominated their season opener against the Giants. Considering the Vikings’ secondary limited the opposing offense to just six points while scoring 28 themselves, the 49ers face a tough game ahead. If their offense struggles, which is highly likely given their star running back’s absence, their upcoming showdowns will be even tougher to overcome.
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In the following week, the Niners will lock horns against their state rivals, the LA Rams, which won’t be an easy matchup. Then the club will face the Patriots and the Cardinals in the coming weeks — the two games the 49ers are favored to win. But McCaffrey‘s absence could certainly change the outcome of these matchups as well.
So, how serious is the injury? The RB injured his Achilles during Week 17 of last season, as per Sports Illustrated. The issue then persisted into the offseason practice, and the five months of rehab clearly didn’t help.
This is why McCaffrey barely participated in the training and even opted out of all three preseason matchups. This period seemed like enough 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. But that wasn’t the case at all.
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.
