Tag: 49ers injury updates

What to make of Christian McCaffrey’s absence from 49ers practice

Christian McCaffrey wasn’t in practice Wednesday, but there’s no real cause for concern.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey sat out the team’s practice Wednesday in the lead up to a Week 12 showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

This is a slight departure from McCaffrey’s routine during his first two weeks back with the club after a nine-week absence due to Achilles tendinitis. During those first two weeks he was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday before getting a full practice in Friday.

Wednesday of Week 12 was a little different. The 49ers listed McCaffrey as a non-participant. His Achilles injury is still listed, but they also specified that his absence was for rest and was not injury related.

It makes sense that the team would rest McCaffrey given his workload in a Week 11 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He played 59 snaps and notched 19 carries along with four receptions. The 23 touches were four more than his 19 the week prior.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated the team plans to continue utilizing McCaffrey as much as possible in games, so an additional day off during the week would behoove a team trying to manage an Achilles issue for its superstar running back.

Chances are McCaffrey is back Thursday and ready to suit up Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

If he isn’t back Thursday, there may be a bigger issue. For now, his absence is simply a rest day.

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49ers optimistic about George Kittle’s return vs. Packers

George Kittle back?

The San Francisco 49ers had to navigate Week 11 without All-Pro tight end George Kittle. It sounds like they may get him back in Week 12 when they visit the Green Bay Packers.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday spoke with reporters in a conference call and had a positive update on the superstar tight end who was out of Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks because of a hamstring injury.

“He should practice on Wednesday,” Shanahan said. “I know it was close yesterday, so I think he should be good for practice on Wednesday.”

Kittle sustained what Shanahan called ‘hamstring irritation’ during the team’s Week 10 game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The head coach sounded optimistic in the lead up to Week 11 that Kittle would be able to play. The TE missed Wednesday’s practice before getting limited sessions in Thursday and Friday. He was officially questionable before getting ruled out 90 minutes before kickoff when the team announced its inactives.

The 49ers struggled on offense without Kittle. They averaged 4.9 yards per play in their least efficient outing of the year. In the passing game they badly missed Kittle as a safety valve and explosive play creator. Their longest pass play of the game was 22 yards and only Jauan Jennings had more than 27 receiving yards.

Urgency is even higher now for the 49ers after Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, and getting a player like Kittle back for their showdown with the Packers would be a huge boost for an offense that needs it.

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49ers injury updates aren’t great news for QB and ailing superstar DE

The San Francisco 49ers have injury issues at two of the most important positions on their roster entering Week 12.

The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with a handful of injuries following a disastrous Week 11 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

A pair of those injuries are to key starters for the 49ers as their margin for error in the race for the postseason shrank to almost nothing.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday told reporters in a conference call that defensive end Nick Bosa is dealing with hip and oblique injuries. The team will evaluate Bosa throughout the week, and Shanahan said it’s possible Bosa could suit up for Sunday’s game against the Packers in Green Bay.

Quarterback Brock Purdy also showed up in Shanahan’s Monday update after not being there immediately after Sunday’s game. Shanahan said Purdy is day-to-day with right shoulder soreness. This is the second time Purdy has been banged up during a game this season and was considered day-to-day during the week. He also hurt his back against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, but was a full participant in practice for all of Week 4.

Both Purdy and Bosa’s statuses on the practice reports starting Wednesday will be worth monitoring closely.

Shanahan also said rookie wide receiver and punt returner Jacob Cowing is in the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head on a punt return. If he can’t clear the protocol, the team may turn to second-year WR Ronnie Bell or rookie WR Ricky Pearsall to take those punt return snaps.

Rookie linebacker Tatum Bethune was also hurt early in the game on kick coverage. He’s working through a sprained MCL that will keep him out awhile per Shanahan.

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49ers roster moves good news for defensive line ahead of Week 11

49ers roster moves ahead of Week 11:

The San Francisco 49ers are getting a key piece of their defensive line back ahead of their Week 11 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.

Defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos has been activated off IR according to an announcement from the team. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky and cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. were both placed on IR, and punter Pat O’Donnell was promoted from the practice squad.

Wishnowsky is dealing with a back injury that initially cropped up in training camp and forced him to miss the preseason. He’ll now be out at least four weeks before he’s eligible to return. The team signed O’Donnell to the practice squad early in the week, signaling bad news for Wishnowsky’s status.

The Gross-Matos return could be significant for a 49ers defensive end rotation that has struggled to produce this season. Gross-Matos tried playing through a knee injury he suffered in training camp, but eventually it landed him on IR. That knee issue may have slowed him down some because in three games he posted only one tackle, one quarterback hit and five pressures according to Pro Football Focus.

Ideally Gross-Matos will fit as a defensive end who can also rush the passer from the interior. His return may help make up for the lack of acquisitions on the defensive line at the trade deadline. Sunday will mark his first action since the 49ers’ Week 4 win over the New England Patriots.

San Francisco also brought up cornerback Nick McCloud from the practice squad on a standard elevation. McCloud is a standout special teams player who will replace Luter who is now out for at least four weeks after suffering a pelvis injury in the lead up to Week 11.

Veteran safety Tashaun Gipson was also elevated from the practice squad to provide depth at a position where the 49ers have Ji’Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha and George Odum on the roster.

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Will Christian McCaffrey play this week? Injury updates for 49ers RB

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will have to manage his Achilles injury all year. Here are the latest updates.

Reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey made his 2024 debut for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10 after working through Achilles tendinitis.

The nature of that ailment means the 49ers will have to manage McCaffrey’s usage throughout the season, including limiting him in practice potentially for the rest of the year.

McCaffrey tallied 19 touches in the 49ers’ Week 10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and didn’t have any setbacks during the game. Here’s where things stand going into Week 11:

Christian McCaffrey injury update

McCaffrey was limited in Wednesday and Thursday practices, but he was a full participant in Friday’s session and didn’t show up on the 49ers’ injury report. He should be a full go for the second consecutive week.

How much will Christian McCaffrey play?

It doesn’t appear the 49ers plan on limiting McCaffrey much in games. We may see him spelled for a handful of snaps here and there, but his touches should be back up where they were in Week 10 where he’s getting it 19-plus times. With a full game under his belt he may be even more effective against the Seattle Seahawks.

49ers RB depth chart

One of the advantages the 49ers have in managing McCaffrey’s ailment is that they have a pair of running backs behind him they can trust to snag some carries if the snap/touch counts get too high. Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo both filled in admirably while McCaffrey was out, but their opportunities figure to be limited when he’s healthy.

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New 49ers Week 11 practice report features more bad news than good

Woof … Thursday’s practice report isn’t great.

The San Francisco 49ers are teetering on the brink of potential disaster on the injury front as they prepare for their Week 11 showdown against the Seattle Seahawks.

Thursday’s practice participation report was even more crowded than Wednesday’s, and it featured more bad news than good.

The good news is that tight end George Kittle returned to action after missing Wednesday’s session. He was limited Thursday, as anticipated by head coach Kyle Shanahan who told reporters he wasn’t too worried about Kittle’s status for Sunday.

In some less-than-good news, left tackle Trent Williams was absent again with an ankle issue. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings also showed up as a limited participant with an ankle injury.

Williams was classified as a non-participant for rest Wednesday, but he also had an ankle injury listed. That ankle kept him out of another practice Thursday, putting his status for Sunday in doubt. If he can’t go, Jaylon Moore would be next in line to step in at left tackle. This will be worth monitoring closely.

Jennings wasn’t on the Wednesday report which makes his appearance Thursday even more concerning. It’s unclear the severity of the issue and when he sustained the injury. Shanahan will speak with reporters Friday and give a better idea of what the 49ers’ leading wide receiver is dealing with.

Defensive end Nick Bosa remained out of practice with a hip injury. He intimated to reporters Wednesday that he’d likely miss the entire week in hopes of getting ready to play Sunday. He’s also a question mark for Sunday in a key matchup with the Seahawks.

Here’s the full Thursday participation report:

Did not participate

DE Nick Bosa (hip)
DT Kevin Givens (groin)
LT Trent Williams (ankle)
P Mitch Wishnowsky (back)
CB Charvarius Ward (not injury related – personal matter)

Limited participation

TE George Kittle (hamstring)
WR Chris Conley (back)
C Jon Feliciano (knee)
WR Jauan Jennings (ankle)
RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles)

Full participation

CB Renardo Green (toe)
DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee)

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Why was Christian McCaffrey limited for 49ers in 1st Week 11 practice?

Christian McCaffrey was limited in Wednesday’s practice, but that’s no reason for alarm.

The San Francisco 49ers have a new weekly problem to solve now that running back Christian McCaffrey has returned from Achilles tendinitis.

While it’s certainly a positive that the reigning Offensive Player of the Year is back in their lineup, the club now has to navigate managing his injury. Part of that will likely be limited practice work and plenty of appearances for McCaffrey on the practice participation report as a result.

McCaffrey debuted Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and notched 13 carries to go along with six receptions on seven targets. He got through the game without issue, but showed up on Wednesday’s practice report as a limited participant.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan before Wednesday’s session said there was no setback for McCaffrey and that his limited practice was a product of how the 49ers are choosing to manage the injury.

It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if McCaffrey didn’t have a full participation in a full practice the rest of the year.

There doesn’t appear to be any inkling from the club or Shanahan that McCaffrey’s workload will diminish greatly this year. He averaged 21.2 touches per game last season and came out of the gate with his 19 in Week 10.

Shanahan didn’t seem bothered by the number of touches McCaffrey received in his debut, indicating he’ll likely continue being the workhorse back for San Francisco. Where they will shortcut his usage is in practice where full participation isn’t required for McCaffrey to be effective during the week.

This may all change if he has a setback at some point, but for now we can get used to seeing McCaffrey on the participation report as less than a full participant.

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3 49ers starters miss 1st practice of Week 11 due to injury

49ers Wednesday practice report is crowded.

The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their Week 11 practices with a handful off injury issues keeping players from practicing in full.

In total, nine players were either absent from the session or limited. Three were limited, and four others missed the first practice of the week due to injury.

Among the non-injury related absences were cornerback Charvarius Ward and left tackle Trent Williams.

Ward is out while he works through a personal tragedy. Williams is getting his usual veteran rest day, although the team also listed an ankle injury for him alongside his ‘not injury related’ designation. Chances are Williams will be back in practice Thursday despite an ankle issue.

Here’s what Wednesday’s participation report looks like:

Did not participate

DE Nick Bosa (hip)
DT Kevin Givens (groin)
TE George Kittle (hamstring)
P Mitch Wishnowsky (back)
CB Charvarius Ward (not injury related – personal matter)
LT Trent Williams (ankle, not injury related – resting player)

Givens has missed the last two games and a non-participation Wednesday isn’t a great sign for a Week 11 return. Head coach Kyle Shanahan before Wednesday’s practice indicated Kittle wouldn’t participate, but expressed optimism about his availability for Sunday. He was less optimistic about Bosa, who played in Week 10 through a hip injury he sustained in practice. Wishnowsky’s back flared up in Week 10, and the team added a punter to their special teams unit.

Limited participation

WR Chris Conley (hamstring)
C Jon Feliciano (knee)
RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles)

No surprises here. Conley would provide some depth at WR and Feliciano would provide depth on the O-line. San Francisco could’ve activated Feliciano off IR last week, but opted not to. McCaffrey’s limited session may be a regular occurrence this season while they manage his Achilles injury.

Full participation

CB Renardo Green (toe)
DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee)

Green has been playing well and left Sunday’s game vs. the Buccaneers with a toe issue. His quick return is good for the 49ers’ secondary. Gross-Matos also was eligible to return from IR last week, but he was unable to suit up. A full practice is an optimistic sign he’ll return in Week 11.

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George Kittle to miss practice, but injury update is good for 49ers

Good news on George Kittle.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday had some good news regarding tight end George Kittle.

Kittle injured his hamstring during the 49ers’ Week 10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shanahan told reporters in a press conference before Wednesday’s practice that the All-Pro tight end wouldn’t take part in Wednesday’s session, but that the expectation was for him to return Thursday with a goal of playing Sunday.

Typically the 49ers’ offensive firepower is such that Kittle missing a game wouldn’t have been a huge deal. However, injuries to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and some struggles scoring touchdowns in the red zone have put outsized importance on Kittle as a pass catcher for San Francisco this year.

He’s the team’s leader in targets, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. It’s worth noting given the red zone issues that all seven of Kittle’s TDs this season have come from inside the opponent’s 20.

There’s always a chance that a hamstring injury can flare up and cause a setback. However, the early positive prognosis from Shanahan is a good sign for his chances of suiting up in a huge game against the Seattle Seahawks. Shanahan is usually mum on injury optimism early in the week.

Kittle had a big game in the 49ers’ first game against Seattle in Week 6 this season. He hauled in five receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

The 49ers and Seahawks are slated to kick off for the second time this year Sunday at 1:05pm Pacific Time from Levi’s Stadium.

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49ers injury updates feature bad news for leading pass catcher

Injury updates from Kyle Shanahan, including some concern for TE George Kittle.

The San Francisco 49ers appeared to escape Tampa Bay with a win and no major injury issues, but head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday had an update that featured a couple of new names.

Shanahan on Sunday after the game said cornerback Renardo Green’s toe injury was the only health issue the team was dealing with. Green is considered day-to-day according to Shanahan’s conference call with reporters on Monday.

That’s overall good news for the standout rookie CB and it doesn’t appear he’ll miss significant time, if any.

Tight end George Kittle is also dealing with what Shanahan classified as “hamstring irritation” during his conference call. He said they’ll manage Kittle throughout the week, but his status for Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks is unclear.

“Kittle had some hamstring irritation today,” Shanahan said. “So we’ll see how the week goes with him, see how he feels on Wednesday.”

Kittle had three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers. He leads the team with 43 receptions, 560 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games this season. With Brandon Aiyuk already out for the season, missing Kittle for any amount of time would be a significant blow to the 49ers’ offense. He’s a go-to pass catcher for quarterback Brock Purdy and an offensive spark for the 49ers. They don’t have anyone to adequately replace his skill set, so it’ll be all hands on deck in Week 11 if the 49ers are without their All-Pro TE.

Punter Mitch Wishnowsky was dealing with a back injury in the days leading up to Week 10 and he’s now dealing with a “flare up” according to Shanahan. The club is looking into various treatment options for their punter. It’s unclear if Wishnowsky will be able to kick in Week 11. The team doesn’t have another punter on its roster or practice squad as of Monday.

The good news for San Francisco is that running back Christian McCaffrey, and WRs Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel didn’t pop up in any of Shanahan’s updates. That’s an indication they all got through the game healthy after dealing with injury problems going into Sunday.

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