San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has missed the first four games of the season due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis, affecting both of his tendons. He was ruled out just before the team’s Week 1 Monday night game and was placed on injured reserve shortly after.
The 2023 rushing leader traveled to Germany for treatment, and the timeline for his return has mostly pointed to “early November,” according to reports before ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s latest update. On Saturday night, Schefter reported that McCaffrey’s Achilles showed no setbacks after participating in on-field work during practice.
Schefter also mentioned that McCaffrey might return for the October 20 game against the Kansas City Chiefs if his recovery continues positively. That game will be a home matchup for the 49ers. However, Schefter suggested that the team might proceed with caution, possibly sitting McCaffrey for both upcoming games to give him more time to recover, with a potential return after the bye week for their November 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In McCaffrey’s absence, Jordan Mason has stepped up as the lead back, carrying the ball 91 times through Week 5. He’s averaging 111.8 yards per game and has scored three touchdowns this season.
