There’s an added reason for concern for the San Francisco 49ers as they gear up to face the New York Jets on Monday night.
Running back Christian McCaffrey is listed as questionable with calf and Achilles injuries, although the reigning Offensive Player of the Year is supremely confident he’s going to suit up for Week 1.
His injury concerns may zoom out wider than just the first game of the 2024 season.
The red flags first went up when he went down early in training camp and was immediately ruled out for the preseason with what the team classified as a calf injury. More red flags went up when his injury was classified as a calf and Achilles ailment on the team’s first practice participation report of Week 1.
Additional, bigger red flags went up Monday when ESPN’s Adam Schefter told the ‘Pat McAfee Show’ that McCaffrey’s calf injury has always included the Achilles aspect, and that the injuries have lingered since Week 17 of last year.
McCaffrey was originally hurt in the 49ers’ 27-10 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 17 last year. He played in only 54 percent of the snaps in that game after seeing at least 76 percent in each of the previous nine weeks. Then he sat out the season finale against the Rams to get an extra week of rest before the ream played again in the divisional playoffs.
In the postseason he was back up to 98 percent, 91 percent and 95 percent in the 49ers’ three games.
That the injury continues to linger is a pretty significant concern, and provides even greater reason for him to see a lighter workload in 2024. If he suits up for the opener, we could see him on a limited snap count as the 49ers try to navigate a full season of their offensive MVP dealing with nagging calf and Achilles injuries.
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