San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has yet to suit up during the 2024 NFL season due to Achilles tendinitis. Will he be making his season debut in Week 4? Let’s break down the latest on McCaffrey’s injury and whether he’s ready to play this Sunday.
What’s the Latest on Christian McCaffrey’s Injury?
No, McCaffrey won’t be in the lineup this Sunday when the 49ers face the New England Patriots. After Week 1, San Francisco placed McCaffrey on injured reserve (IR), which means he must miss the next four games.
That means the soonest that McCaffrey could suit up is Week 6. However, just because McCaffrey can play in Week 6 doesn’t necessarily mean he will. Recently, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that McCaffrey could miss six weeks or more.
This was followed up by another concerning update, this time from ESPN’s Adam Schefter: McCaffrey is reportedly traveling to Germany to see an Achilles tendinitis specialist. It’s unclear if McCaffrey is simply seeking a second opinion or if his case is a bit complex.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is consulting an expert in Germany about his Achilles tendonitis.@AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/l0dWfxuRqF
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 23, 2024
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the Achilles tendon, the band of tissue that connects calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone.”
The clinic also says the injury “most commonly occurs in runners who have suddenly increased the intensity or duration of their runs.”
Tenderness or stiffness, particularly in the morning, are also symptoms. “The pain associated with Achilles tendinitis typically begins as a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after running or other sports activity,” per the Mayo Clinic.
In terms of treatment, the clinic says most cases of Achilles tendinitis can be treated with at-home care under a doctor’s supervision. Icing the Achilles and using electrical stimulation could also help as it heals. However, more serious cases “can lead to tendon tears (ruptures) that may require surgical repair.”
The 49ers experienced this last season with linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who suffered from Achilles tendinitis toward the end of last regular season and then tore his Achilles while running onto the field during the Super Bowl.
Given that they just went through the worst-case scenario with Greenlaw, it’s understandable that the 49ers are being extremely cautious with McCaffrey to ensure that he doesn’t tear his Achilles.
Also, San Francisco has Super Bowl aspirations, so they’re more focused on having him at 100% for the second half of the campaign rather than rushing him back for an early-season contest.
Who Will Step Up In McCaffrey’s Absence?
While McCaffrey is out, Jordan Mason is starting in his place. The fact that the 49ers have continued running the ball effectively with Mason in the starting lineup could allow the team to be even more patient when it comes to CMC’s recovery.
Through three weeks, Mason has rushed 67 times for 324 yards and two touchdowns.
Mason set the bar high by rushing for 100+ yards and a touchdown in each of San Francisco’s first two games, thresholds that were going to be difficult to sustain.
In Week 3, his production came crashing back to Earth in the blown game against the Los Angeles Rams. Mason was 20% or better over expectations in each of the first two weeks this season but was 39.5% below what an average back would be expected to give us in Week 3.
49ers’ Fantasy Outlook
Let’s break down the fantasy outlook for the 49ers’ various stars with McCaffrey sidelined.
Jordan Mason Fantasy Outlook
Last week, Mason’s 10.8 PPR fantasy points weren’t worthy of the top-10 ranking he had throughout the industry, but complaining about a 20-touch afternoon in a strong offense is a spoiled manager’s problem.
At the end of the day, he owns an elite role for a team that is favorable to bounce back from consecutive upset losses. You can be disappointed with his performance last week, but Mason should still be considered a lineup lock.
Brandon Aiyuk Fantasy Outlook
If we are going with the “September is his preseason” narrative due to the missed work this summer, time is almost up, and Aiyuk should start producing like the star we know he is.
Brock Purdy is playing well, but his WR1 has yet to really get going. Aiyuk’s yards per route have cratored from 3.06 last season to 1.18 this year, and he’s being looked at on under 20% of his routes after posting a career-best 24% rate a season ago.
I think those numbers will bounce back with time — it’s more how he is being used that has me concerned.
Last season, he and Purdy showcased an elite connection down the field, resulting in 40% of Aiyuk’s targets coming on deep balls. This season, that rate sits at just 15%.
We can live with a dip in efficiency or aggression, but not both.
Aiyuk is a fantasy starter for me, though I will admit that it’s more on the back of Purdy than anything I’ve seen from the veteran WR on the field or in the spreadsheets.
Jauan Jennings Fantasy Outlook
Jennings wasn’t a top-50 player at the position in routes or targets through two weeks, and now he’s the fourth-highest scoring receiver (PPR) in fantasy for the season (4.3 points ahead of Justin Jefferson and more points than Terry McLaurin and Jaylen Waddle combined).
Life comes at you fast.
Last week against the Rams, Jennings became the first player selected 200th or later in the NFL Draft with three touchdown catches in a game since Marques Colston (2012).
I don’t think what we saw last week is akin to when Amon-Ra St. Brown broke out for the Lions, a situation where he seemed poised to be a fantasy superstar for years to come. But in the short term, why can’t Jennings be Flexed?
In Week 3, he turned five slot targets into five receptions, 61 yards, and a pair of scores. That’s noteworthy given that the Patriots’ defense, while stingy, has allowed a league-high 34 completions to the slot on just 41 attempts.
Jennings, whose given name is Bennie, should again have as versatile of a route tree as he is willing to handle with his star teammates banged up.
I have him ranked alongside other receivers (like Rashid Shaheed and Brian Thomas Jr.) who can single-handedly swing your matchup in either direction.
George Kittle Fantasy Outlook
Coming off of a strong showing in Minnesota (7-76-1), Kittle was inactive last week with a hamstring injury. Sadly, this is kind of the cost of doing business.
San Francisco’s star tight end hasn’t played a full set of games since 2018. With a 74.2% career catch rate from Purdy, not to mention a touchdown once every 10.3 targets from the artist formerly known as Mr. Irrelevant, Kittle deserves to be locked into your lineup anytime the 49ers put him out on the field. It also doesn’t hurt that he was targeted on 27.6% of his routes in Week 2, and that was with Deebo Samuel Sr. active.
In the event that you’re still skittish, the Patriots’ defense is plenty stout. However, Tyler Conklin did catch five of six targets for a career-high 93 yards against them last Thursday night.