The San Francisco 49ers are 4-4 heading into their huge Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it seems like they could be getting a huge boost in the return of superstar running back Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to take the field for the team this season.
McCaffrey was surprisingly ruled out right before the team’s Week 1 contest against the New York Jets, and he proceeded to miss the ensuing eight weeks of the season with Achilles tendinitis. However, he’s been ramping up his activity, and appears set to make his season debut against the Bucs.
San Francisco still needs to activate McCaffrey off of injured reserve in order for him to be able to suit up for this contest, but that seems like a formality at this point. Sure enough, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s latest comments only further echo that sentiment, as he declared CMC is “good to go” for their upcoming contest.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said RB Christian McCaffrey is “good to go” for Sunday’s game vs. Tampa despite the team listing him as questionable due to his calf and Achilles injuries.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 8, 2024
Of course, it’s worth noting that the Niners and McCaffrey seemed fully confident in his ability to play back in Week 1, only for him to be ruled out at the last second. However, things seem different this time around, and as Shanahan has reaffirmed on several occasions that he expects McCaffrey to be on the field against Tampa Bay.
The return of McCaffrey would be a welcome sight for San Francisco, as the team has been incredibly banged up all season long. Jordan Mason has done a solid job filling in at running back in his absence, but it’s clear there’s a very big difference when it comes to having McCaffrey on the field.
The final step for the Niners and McCaffrey involves activating him from injured reserve before 4 P.M. EST on Saturday afternoon, and assuming that happens like it’s expected to, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year should be able to make his long-awaited season debut.
