49ers’ McCaffrey out for Vikings game, injured reserve a possibility
SANTA CLARA — Christian McCaffrey was ruled out of the Minnesota game Friday and could be headed for injured reserve.
McCaffrey was not on the field with teammates during a brief media window at the start of Friday’s practice. Coach Kyle Shanahan reversed his position earlier in the week regarding the possibility of putting McCaffrey on injured reserve to give his Achilles tendinitis a chance to calm down.
“Yesterday was his worst day,” Shanahan said. “It’s on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain, it’s something we’re going to be discussing in the next 24 hours.”
The 49ers (1-0) visit the Minnesota Vikings (1-0) Sunday.
Scratched on Monday before a 32-19 win over the New York Jets, McCaffrey would miss a minimum of four additional games should he be placed on injured reserve before Sunday — the Vikings game, Sept. 22 at the Los Angeles Rams, Sept. 29 at home against New England and Oct. 6 at home against Arizona.
He would be eligible to return on Thursday, Oct. 10 when the 49ers visit Seattle. Should McCaffrey not go on injured reserve until after the Minnesota game, he would miss the Seattle game and the earliest he could return would be an Oct. 20 home showdown with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
General manager John Lynch said on his weekly radio appearance on KNBR-680 that all options will be considered.
Listed with a calf/Achilles injury, it’s clear the Achilles tendinitis is the larger issue given that it can fluctuate daily and usually requires rest as an important part of the treatment.
“If that’s the right thing, that’s what we’ll do,” Lynch said. “We’re going to do what’s right for Christian, what’s right for our team.”
McCaffrey said Wednesday he will approach every week as if he’s going to play and has strayed from specifics regarding the injury.
“My mentality is that I’m playing this week,” McCaffrey said. “That’s where I’m at. That’s my mentality every week. I’m not lying. I think as a soon as a player says, `Maybe I’ll play, maybe I won’t’ that’s not a good mentality to go into the week with when you’re kind of on the fence. So for me, I’m ready to go.”
Placing McCaffrey on I.R. would take that approach out of his hands for the next month.
That determination will ultimately be made by the medical staff with the input of McCaffrey, Lynch and Shanahan.
McCaffrey was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday.
“It’s one of those deals that he can be feeling good one day and the next day it flares,” Lynch said. “So it’s been frustrating for Christian, I know, and frustrating for us only because h’s such a great player. Primary in our mind is the long view. Christian is such an elite player, he changes us.”
Without the NFL’s leading rusher in 2023, the 49ers dominated the Jets on the ground in Week 1, rushing for 180 yards on 38 attempts. Third-year back Jordan Mason had career highs with 28 rushes for 147 yards and a touchdown and the 49ers had a 38:40 to 21:20 advantage in time of possession.
“It’s nice to see we can function without him, function at a high level,” Lynch said.
With McCaffrey out, Mason will again be the lead back, with rookie third-round pick Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. in reserve. The 49ers can also use wide receiver Deebo Samuel out of the backfield. Samuel carried eight times for 23 yards against the Jets.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga was listed as doubtful and Dee Winters is questionable with an ankle injury. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos will be active and available.
“Huf is getting there,” Lynch said. “We’ll see if we’re going to pull the trigger there. Do we cut him loose now or do we hold up? We’ll see, but very encouraged with the way he’s trending.”
Guerendo says he’s ready
Guerendo, a 6-foot, 220-pound third-round draft pick out of Louisville, says he’s ready for whatever the coaches have in mind in McCaffrey’s absence. He said he’s confident coaches will have a plan for him and has confidence in running backs coach Bobby Turner.
“Coach T treats everybody the same, like they’re the starting running back,” Guerendo said. “Just continue to follow him and take his coaching and he’ll put me in the best position.”
Guerendo had a hamstring strain in the opening moments of training camp and missed considerable time. But he had a strong final preseason game against the Raiders in which he carried 11 times for 32 yards, caught two passes for three yards and played 28 snaps. He also had 10 special teams snaps, including a 93-yard kickoff return.
“He missed so much practice time we were worried about him, and his first time with pads on was that preseason game,” Shanahan said. “But when he got going, he was rolling.”
O-line critique
Listen to 49ers line coach/run game coordinator Chris Foerster and you’d think his unit got pushed around in Week 1 against the Jets.
The 49ers rushed for 180 yards and Brock Purdy wasn’t sacked.
But…
“I think we were all a step below where I think any of them would want,” Foerster said. “There were some good things, but it just wasn’t as sharp as it needed to be. And there’s a lot to work, which is good…the great thing is we’ve got 16 more weeks to see if we can get better.”
Foerster, as is his custom, has never seen a game where the line play couldn’t be better.
Lynch, the 49ers GM, was more effusive in praise of the offensive front.
“I thought it was as good a game as our offensive line has played in a long time and we need to continue that type of effort because they’re capable of it,” Lynch said.
On openers
The 49ers evened their record in season openers under Shanahan to 4-4 with the win over the Jets.
It’s been a good omen to win in Week 1 since Shanahan arrived in 2017. In the three other seasons where the 49ers started with a win, they had a record of 35-15 and a winning percentage of .700.
In seasons under Shanahan after a Week 1 loss, the 49ers are 29-36, a winning percentage of .446.
Pearsall to travel to Minnesota
Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. has been in the locker room this week, has been cleared to lift weights and do some conditioning, and will even make the trip to Minnesota.
Pearsall was shot through the chest on Aug. 31 in a robbery attempt at Union Square in San Francisco. The bullet missed bones and vital organs. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list and will miss at least four games.
“He’s getting back to conditioning, getting back in football shape and getting back to healthy,” Shanahan said.
Addison out
Minnesota ruled out wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle), who is the No. 2 wideout to Justin Jefferson.
Addison’s biggest play as a rookie was catching a 60-yard touchdown reception with seven seconds to before halftime in last season’s 22-17 win by the Vikings over the 49ers in Minnesota.
The play came against a Cover Zero blitz called by former coordinator Steve Wilks with no safety help. Addison essentially stole the ball from Charvarius Ward, and broke away to score for a 16-7 halftime lead.
Addison, a first-round draft pick out of USC, also caught a 20-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring and had seven receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 70-catch, 911-yard season with 10 touchdowns.