After observing Christian McCaffrey’s participation in the San Francisco 49ers’ toughest practice of the week, head coach Kyle Shanahan is confident the star running back will make his season debut on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Speaking with KNBR radio in San Francisco on Thursday, Shanahan shared that McCaffrey has shown enough progress in practice to return to action. “He’s been awesome these last two days,” Shanahan said. “You never know about a setback, but these two days have been great, and I expect to see him out there.”
McCaffrey has been on injured reserve since Sept. 14 due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis, which followed a calf injury that started bothering him in early August. The 49ers’ running back also visited a specialist in Germany while the team played the Rams in Los Angeles on Sept. 22.
Before the team’s bye week, Shanahan indicated that McCaffrey would stay at the facility and engage in simulated practices to prepare for his return. With no setbacks from that plan, the 49ers opened his practice window Monday.
McCaffrey participated in the team’s “bonus” practice that day and was limited in Wednesday and Thursday’s sessions. Thursday’s practice, however, is considered the most crucial as it is the longest and only padded session of the week.
The only hurdle left for McCaffrey to make his season debut is a lighter Friday practice, followed by a cross-country flight to Tampa, Florida, in the evening. As long as there are no setbacks, McCaffrey will be activated from injured reserve on Saturday. To make room for him on the roster, the 49ers will need to make a corresponding move.
Shanahan and the 49ers have long pointed to this week as McCaffrey’s potential return, as he continued his rehab and remained sidelined for the team’s first eight games. His return to practice has been a significant boost for the 4-4 49ers, with coaches and teammates praising his impact.
“It’s been awesome,” said quarterback Brock Purdy. “Just what he brings to the table, firing everybody else up around him. We’re coming off the bye week feeling good and fresh, and then you get 2-3 next to you in the backfield. It’s been awesome. He looks great moving around, and he’s trending in the right direction. So, we’re excited to see what happens.”
Assuming McCaffrey plays against the Buccaneers, it remains to be seen how much of a workload he will take on. When healthy, McCaffrey has been the 49ers’ primary running back, logging a career-high 417 touches (including playoffs) and earning the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award in 2023.
With McCaffrey out, Jordan Mason has stepped in as a reliable option, ranking third in the NFL in rushing yards per game. However, Mason was also limited in practice on Thursday due to a shoulder injury. Other backs on the roster include rookie Isaac Guerendo and veteran Patrick Taylor Jr.
Shanahan has noted that McCaffrey’s workload will depend on how he feels closer to game time. He added that he does not believe McCaffrey’s injuries are related to overwork in previous seasons. “I think things happen to a body. It happens in the offseason, but I don’t think that really has to do with numbers,” Shanahan explained. “When a guy is healthy and good, they’re usually good. But we’ve got to see where his conditioning is at, how he is. I know he is conditioned as well as he can be, but we’ll see how his football conditioning is.”
If all goes well, Shanahan also mentioned that wide receivers Jauan Jennings (hip) and Deebo Samuel (rib, oblique) are expected to play against the Buccaneers.
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