When the San Francisco 49ers acquired running back Christian McCaffrey in a trade with the Carolina Panthers a couple of years ago, the move was thought to be a game-changer, as it made them stacked on the offensive side of the football, striking fear in opponents on a weekly basis.
Although McCaffrey went on to have an MVP-caliber season last year as the focal point of the offense, the 2024 campaign has been rough for the superstar, as he has yet to play a game due to an issue in both legs.
Fortunately, backup Jordan Mason has been able to shoulder the load, but the Niners would certainly prefer to have McCaffrey back on the field rather than on the sidelines in street clothes.
That said, they might be able to get him back on the practice field in the coming weeks.
“The 49ers have the [Kansas City] Chiefs this week, the [Dallas] Cowboys the following week and then the bye week,” insider Matt Maiocco said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “I think with McCaffrey, you are probably looking at that being that time they open that practice window.”
Christian McCaffrey hasn't played a single down this season — what's the timeline for his return?#NFL #FTTB pic.twitter.com/9gyG40Gawr
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) October 17, 2024
There’s no doubt that the 49ers are disappointed they haven’t had arguably their best player in the first six weeks of the 2024 campaign, but they’ve been able to hold their own and come into Week 7 with a record of 3-3 and in first place in the NFC West.
If McCaffrey is healthy and back to form, San Francisco might be able to take it to another level entirely, but until then, it needs to keep winning games while heading in the right direction.
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