49ers place Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve with calf injury
Sep 14, 2024, 1:02 PM | Updated: 2:32 pm
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey walks on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
(AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will be headed to the injured reserve due to calf tightness and Achilles tendinitis, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The team made the move official Saturday afternoon and elevated safety Tracy Walker III to the active roster.
With the move, McCaffrey will miss at least the next four games, which will include the 49ers’ Week 5 home matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 6. He had already been ruled out for their game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday before being put on the IR.
The three-time Pro-Bowler, who signed a 2-year contract extension in June, had missed the team’s first game of the season against the New York Jets on Monday.
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McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and was tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year.
McCaffrey’s career stats against the Cardinals
In eight NFL seasons, McCaffrey has played in seven games against the Cardinals with the 49ers and Carolina Panthers.
In those games, McCaffrey has put up good numbers against the Cardinals, rushing for 83 yards with receiving 61 yards per game and has scored 10 total touchdowns.
Last season, McCaffrey went off on the Cardinals, highlighted by his Week 4 performance in San Francisco, where the running back rushed for 106 yards, added 71 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns as the 49ers beat Arizona 35-16.
He followed up his performance later in the season when the team traveled to Glendale on Dec. 17 as McCaffrey rushed for 115 yards with 72 receiving yards and scoring three touchdowns in the team’s 45-29 victory.
What running back could the Cardinals face on Oct. 6?
With the loss of McCaffrey, third-year running back Jordan Mason is the likely candidate to take the starting job.
In 34 games, Mason has rushed for 611 yards five touchdowns and averaging 5.5 yards a carry. Mason is coming off a career-best game, rushing for 147 yards and scored a touchdown in the team’s 32-19 win over the Jets.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. is another player to watch in the 49ers’ rushing attack. In six seasons, Samuel has rushed for over a 1,000 yards with 20 touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry.
