UPDATE: In a shocking development, with just about an hour until kickoff, 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey was announced as inactive for the season opener against the Jets.
The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year has missed most of the off-season with calf and Achilles injuries. His absence sets the stage for 25-year-old Jordan Mason to make his first start in the NFL.
It’s unclear when McCaffrey will be back, but the San Francisco offense looks dramatically different without his presence. —Xaiver Aguiar
September 7: With roughly 48 hours until the 49ers are set to kick off their 2024 season, there is still doubt about the availability of star running back Christian McCaffrey. San Francisco has now officially listed McCaffrey as questionable with the calf/Achilles issues.
The outlook for San Francisco drastically changes whether or not McCaffrey is available. The 28-year-old is one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NFL and the engine of the 49ers offense.
If he is unable to go there will be an increased opportunity for backup running back Jordan Mason and Deebo Samuel will likely line up in the backfield more often. McCaffrey has battled injuries throughout his NFL career and it is not a great sign to be starting off the season with an injury that has a significant chance to linger.
While the game being on Monday night puts fantasy football owners in a tough position, hopefully, there will be some more concrete answers on his outlook soon. -Sean Barnard
September 5- The San Francisco 49ers announced that their star RB, Christian McCaffrey, will be limited in practice on Thursday, according to HC Kyle Shanahan. On the injury report, they listed McCaffrey’s ailment as a calf/Achilles, which is different from his previous injury designation (calf).
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey’s Achilles injury isn’t new, as it was part of the original calf that he hurt earlier in training camp.
McCaffrey is coming off of an unbelievable season where he totaled 2,023 yards while scoring 21 total touchdowns. CMC also caught 67 balls on 83 targets. His seven receiving touchdowns tied for most on the team with Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
During the 2023 season, CMC led all position players in yards from scrimmage by almost 200, and also had over 400 more yards than the second-best running back. CMC also tied Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert for the most touchdowns among skill players.
CMC signed a two-year extension worth $19 million, which keeps him under contract in the Bay area until the 2027 season. He didn’t play in any of the team’s three preseason games, and made his return to the practice field on Tuesday before the start of the regular season.
In 2024, CMC is entering his age-28 season. Although he has a long history of injuries in the past, he played 17 games and 16 games the last two years, respectively.
There are still three days before the 49ers’s first game on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets. The 49ers are 4.5 point favorites while being -218 to win the game on the money line on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under for this game is set at 43.5 points.
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