Christian McCaffrey (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers will have to wait at least another game until superstar running back Christian McCaffrey returns from injury.

Christian McCaffrey has not played for the 49ers this season as he deals with an Achilles/calf injury. He was placed on the injured reserve after Week 1, automatically making him inactive for the next four games.

There was hope that the reigning rushing champion would be able to return for Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl 59 rematch. However, that’s unlikely to be the case.

According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that they won’t open the practice window for Christian McCaffrey this week. Adam Schefter additionally reports that he likely won’t play against Kansas City.

With their superstar running back sidelined, the 49ers have leaned on Jordan Mason. Fortunately, he has been up for the challenge as he leads the league in rushing yards following Thursday night’s win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Mason’s 609 rushing yards are tops in football, though Baltimore Ravens superstar Derrick Henry is a close second with one less contest played (572 yards in five games). Despite only playing four games, Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley is third with 435.

The 49ers’ pivotal road win in Seattle last night pushed the club to 3-3 on the year. They currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Seattle for tops in the NFC West, though the 2-3 Arizona Cardinals can make it a three-way tie with a win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

49ers Need Christian McCaffrey Healthy For The Postseason

For San Francisco, the main goal is having a healthy McCaffrey healthy for the postseason. The team has only lost five regular season games with him in the lineup since his arrival in 2022, a clear-cut indicator of just how much he changes the offense when he’s on the field.