That timetable puts Christian McCaffrey out until about Week 12 to Week 13
The San Francisco 49ers haven’t had Christian McCaffrey on the field through three games. Their offense continues to be productive and even explosive in many ways. But they’re not the same electric unit they were in 2023.
Jordan Mason has been a revelation. He’s among the league leaders in every meaningful statistical category, including first in yards after contact.
But he’s not CMC.
Through three games, about 20 percent of Mason’s carries have gone for more than 15 yards — which is quite good and inside of the top 20.
Last year, on 400 carries, 34.5 percent of McCaffrey’s runs went for 15 yards. More than one out of every three of McCaffrey’s touches went for at least 15 yards.
That number still lacks context when you factor in McCaffrey's gains of 65, 51, multiple 25+, 72, 39, etc. He not only flips the field, but McCaffrey ended up scoring on several of these. Not to mention, he had a boatload of receptions that were north of 15 yards.
On Wednesday, Kyle Shanahan said he hadn’t talked to McCaffrey and didn’t have any updates. Shanahan said, “Not that I know of,” when asked if there were a chance McCaffrey wouldn’t play this season.
According to Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle, the 49ers will have to wait longer than expected for McCaffrey’s return. Eric spoke to Dr. Kenton Fibel, who is the medical director of the Anaheim Ducks, where he specializes in orthobiologics:
McCaffrey’s visit, Fibel said, suggests he has a more serious injury, perhaps an issue that includes microscopic tears in the tendon, that hasn’t responded well to initial treatment methods and won’t resolve within a few weeks with rest. Given the nature of the Achilles, a weight-bearing tendon, Fibel said McCaffrey would likely be sidelined for at least a month and “probably closer to a couple of months” if he had an orthobiologic procedure.
“I think it more suggests this is an injury that they think they are going to need something more to augment his healing that may require weeks or a couple months rather than a week or two,” said Fibel, a sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. “This may be something where you realize the pathology is a little bit more serious and reserve a way to allow him to return this season, even if it does take a month or two with him needing a longer recovery.”
Looking at the 49ers schedule, assuming Dr. Fibel’s timetable was as of this week, a couple of months is in the Week 12 to Week 13 range, leaving McCaffrey with less than half of the season.
