Christian McCaffrey has been ruled out of Week 2 of the NFL season and the San Francisco 49ers are considering placing him on injured reserve, it has been reported.
The NFL’s star running back missed the team’s Week 1 win over the Jets and was questionable for Week 2 as he continues to battle a calf injury and Achilles tendonitis.
His status has now finally been confirmed, with head coach Kyle Shanahan revealing that he is out for the trip to Minnesota on Sunday.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero has since reported that the 49ers are considering placing McCaffrey on injured reserve, which would mean he is out for this week and the following three games.
The news would come as a huge blow to one of the Super Bowl favorites, who could lose their star man until at least the middle of October.
The Niners are in Minnesota for an NFC clash with the Vikings on Sunday, before they play the Rams, Patriots and Cardinals.
If McCaffrey is placed on the IR, the first game he would be eligible to play is in Seattle on October 10.
Shanahan revealed on Friday evening that Thursday was McCaffrey’s ‘worst day yet’ as he continues to battle injury.
The decision to hold McCaffrey out of Monday night’s 32-19 Week 1 win over the New York Jets came as a surprise to many and upset plenty of fantasy football players who had taken the star running back with one of the top picks in their drafts.
McCaffrey had been listed as questionable on the injury report but said Friday he expected to play. Adding more confusion to the issue was a postgame interview on television by fill-in Jordan Mason, who said he was told Friday that he would get the start.
Shanahan said the decision was not made until Monday and that he only told Mason to prepare to possibly have a heavier load with McCaffrey dealing with the injury.
It now looks as though Mason will see plenty more of the ball in the coming weeks after he impressed against the Jets, proving himself a worthy replacement at running back.
McCaffrey got injured early in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before returning to the field last week, but has been in and out of sessions since then.
