49ers' McCaffrey out Solar.; IR into consideration

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With regards to San Francisco 49ers working again Christian McCaffrey‘s availability, no guesswork is required this week.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday formally dominated McCaffrey out for Sunday’s sport on the Minnesota Vikings after McCaffrey did not really feel proper with restricted participation in Thursday’s apply. Putting McCaffrey on injured reserve, which might imply lacking no less than 4 extra video games, is now part of the dialog, based on Shanahan.

“It is one thing we’re contemplating now,” Shanahan mentioned. “Yesterday was his worst day. It is on and off, however with yesterday having essentially the most ache. It is one thing we will be discussing collectively within the subsequent 24 hours.”

McCaffrey, in fact, has been coping with a calf damage and Achilles tendinitis that made him a shock pregame scratch earlier than Monday night time’s opener towards the New York Jets.

Like final week, McCaffrey was a restricted participant in apply Wednesday and Thursday, however indicators of his potential deactivation had been clear when he was not on the sphere throughout the early portion of Friday’s apply that was open to media.

If the Niners place McCaffrey on injured reserve earlier than Sunday’s sport, he could be eligible to return for the Oct. 10 sport towards the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night time Soccer.” Shanahan added that as of now, McCaffrey doesn’t require any form of process to restore the damage.

McCaffrey spoke to reporters earlier this week and clarified why he was so adamant earlier than the Jets sport that he was going to play. McCaffrey defined that at any time when he’s coping with an damage, he mentally tells himself he’s going to be able to go even when that in the end would not grow to be the case.

“My mindset each week is I’ll play,” McCaffrey mentioned Wednesday. “There’s been weeks the place I will go the total week, not even feeling adequate to do the walk-through, after which I get up and the physique’s able to a variety of cool issues. Mentally, I am at all times ready to play, after which I awakened and it was a bunch determination, a really powerful one. I hate not enjoying, however I have a look at it as a chess transfer and one thing that hopefully you may profit from the remainder of the season.”

The Niners’ hope is that extra relaxation for McCaffrey will enable him to place the tendinitis previously. Shanahan has mentioned that the exhausting half is that the problem with the Achilles comes and goes, which has made it troublesome to guage it on something apart from a day-to-day foundation.

Shanahan was requested Wednesday whether or not McCaffrey could possibly be a candidate for injured reserve. He mentioned on the time that had not been a consideration, however each he and basic supervisor John Lynch struck a unique tone Friday after this newest setback.

“If that is the suitable factor, it is what we’ll do,” Lynch instructed KNBR Radio in San Francisco. “All choices, as Kyle has mentioned, are on the desk. We’ll do what’s proper for Christian and what’s proper for our workforce.”

This week, meaning a second consecutive begin for third year-running again Jordan Mason after his breakout efficiency Monday night time. In his first profession begin, Mason rushed 28 instances for 147 yards and a landing with a catch for five yards.

It was essentially the most carries in a regular-season sport by a Niner since Shanahan took over in 2017, and essentially the most in a 49ers season opener in franchise historical past.

That efficiency undoubtedly buoyed San Francisco’s confidence in Mason to make one other begin because the workforce travels to Minnesota, a spot the place the Niners have misplaced seven consecutive video games.

“I preserve saying, this man simply retains getting higher and higher and higher,” run sport coordinator Chris Foerster mentioned. “JP at all times labored exhausting, however there was at all times that little little bit of a belief issue there. Now he is all in with (working backs coach) Bobby (Turner). He is all in with the offense and he has simply flourished. He is a troublesome, exhausting working man.”

With McCaffrey out and Mason beginning, the Niners’ backup choices will once more be receiver Deebo Samuel, rookie Isaac Guerendo and fourth-year veteran Patrick Taylor Jr. Neither Guerendo nor Taylor received a carry behind Mason towards the Jets, although, as Samuel was the one different Niner to take a handoff, dashing eight instances for 23 yards and a landing.

“It is completely different to be right down to your third man already,” Shanahan mentioned. “I’ve by no means actually checked out Elijah (Mitchell) or JP (Mason) as two or threes. I feel these guys are able to being ones as Elijah has proven previously and so did JP. The 2 new guys when their (alternative) comes, I imagine they’re prepared.”

In different Niners damage information, security Talanoa Hufanga (proper knee) is uncertain for Sunday and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle) is listed as questionable.