49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is a Long Shot to Play Against the Vikings

I wouldn't expect McCaffrey to play Week 3 against the Rams either, because that game will be played in Los Angeles where the field is artificial turf.

Jul 25, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey answers questions at a press conference following Day 3 of training camp at SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

It seems like we may have to wait a while for Christian McCaffrey to make his season debut.

Just a few days ago, the 49ers led us to believe that McCaffrey would play Week 1 against the Jets. But then they made him inactive 90 minutes before kickoff. And after the game, Jordan Mason told reporters that the coaches informed him on Friday that he would be the starter. So it seems McCaffrey's Achilles tendonitis is worse than the team is letting on.

"It feels to me, just taking stock of the situation and talking to people involved, that Christian McCaffrey is a long shot to play this week against the Minnesota Vikings," said the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "Go back a couple days to Monday night. The 49ers thought that McCaffrey was going to shake off a little tightness that he felt late in the week of practice, be able to work out and be able to play Monday night against the Jets as he told reporters, as everyone had planned. He worked out pre-game and it was just not quite right. We talked a lot over the course of the preseason about McCaffrey's calf injury. It is more than that. It is also Achilles tendonitis, which can really be troublesome. And as Kyle Shanahan noted, that's actually the injury that is giving McCaffrey more trouble right now. That's the injury that is requiring more treatment than the calf pull. So that is why McCaffrey did not play on Monday night.

"It's a long season. He is as good as it gets. They want him healthy for the stretch run. It makes sense for the 49ers to pull back a little bit and ensure when he hits the field again he is fully healthy. And the fact that they have Jordan Mason, the former undrafted free agent who came in and rushed for over 100 yards, ran incredibly hard and looked excellent against the Jets, the fact that they have him step in McCaffrey's place, not so bad for the 49ers."

I wouldn't expect McCaffrey to play Week 3 against the Rams either, because that game will be played in Los Angeles where the field is artificial turf. I'm guessing the 49ers want McCaffrey to make his season debut on grass, either Week 4 at home against the Patriots or Week 5 at home against the Cardinals.

Stay tuned.