Will Christian McCaffrey Return in February? Analyst Breaks Down Ten Key Injuries Including Trevor Lawrence’s

The NFL playoff picture is starting to come into focus. More importantly to some, the fantasy football playoffs are just one week away. Managers will need the league’s best and brightest stars to perform down the stretch to bring home a title. Unfortunately, the teams rostering a couple of those players are going to have to hit the waiver wire to find alternative options.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was the consensus No. 1 choice in fantasy drafts. He missed eight games before finally returning in Week 10. He then hurt his knee on Sunday Night Football. While the injury was not non-contact like many initially believed, it was damaging. San Francisco sent him to injured reserve on Monday.

In his weekly recap of the league’s most significant injuries, Dr. Nav Singh Badesha stated McCaffrey likely suffered a grade two PCL sprain. According to him, “88% of running backs [return in] six-to-eight weeks” following this ailment. This, for all intents and purposes, would end McCaffrey’s season. If the 49ers somehow manage to make a deep playoff run, though, he could aid their unlikely Super Bowl quest.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s concussion on Sunday afternoon drew immense attention. Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair could be suspended for the hit he laid on Lawrence, who was sliding down when Al-Shaair made contact with him.

Dr. Badesha projected Lawrence would not clear protocol before Week 14. He also suggested the Jags’ poor record – which has them in contention for the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft – could lead them to keep Lawrence on the bench for the remainder of the season.

Many players sustained season-ending injuries in Week 13

There are universes where McCaffrey and Lawrence haven’t already played their final snaps of the 2024 campaign. This isn’t the case for some other players who were hurt earlier this week.

New Orleans Saints do-it-all tight end Taysom Hill absorbed a gruesome injury versus the Los Angeles Rams. His already confirmed torn ACL ends his season. However, Dr. Badesha believes other possible ailments – a “possible tibial plateau fracture” – could hold him out until next October.

A typical ACL tear would have allowed Hill to return early in the 2025 season. This is the prognosis, per Dr. Badesha, for both Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Josh Butler, whose ailments transpired on Thanksgiving Day.

The New York Giants season has been disastrous. Things somehow got worse on Thanksgiving, as defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence dislocated his elbow. “Sexy Dexy” was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Now his season is over, but Dr. Badesha is confident he’ll be fully recovered for the start of the 2025 campaign.

Two wide receivers – CeeDee Lamb and D.K. Metcalf – reaggravated old injuries this week. Dr. Badesha reported Lamb (shoulder) would experience a “15% production dip” if he’s active for Week 14, and that Metcalf (knee) can likely play through his issue. The same can’t be guaranteed for Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who lit up the Atlanta Falcons (nine receptions, 117 yards).

McConkey (knee) has quickly become Justin Herbert’s top target. Los Angeles’ chances of beating the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football will dip if he’s inactive. Dr. Badesha says players typically miss one-to-two weeks with his injury but didn’t fully eliminate the possibility of him playing. He recommends monitoring practice reports to get a better gauge on McConkey’s status.