Why isn’t Christian McCaffrey playing for the 49ers against the Cardinals? When will he be back?

Christian McCaffrey will remain on the sidelines for the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 5 clash with the Arizona Cardinals today, as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury that has kept him out of every game this season.

When could McCaffrey return for 49ers?

According to one prominent NFL insider, the star running back now looks to be in contention to make his comeback in late October or early November.

Having been hit by Achilles tendinitis, McCaffrey is currently on San Francisco’s injured reserve list (IR), having been placed on the IR ahead of the team’s Week 2 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings in mid-September.

Under NFL rules, players must remain on the IR for at least four games, so the earliest McCaffrey could return is the 49ers’ Week 6 match-up with the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. Citing league sources, however, ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Colorado native won’t be activated for the Seahawks game.

Per Schefter, there is “a chance” that McCaffrey will be available for either the 49ers’ Week 7 match-up with the Kansas City Chiefs on October 20, or the Week 8 clash with the Dallas Cowboys seven days later.

Schefter adds, though, that the 49ers may well choose to delay his comeback until after they return from their bye week in Week 9. In Week 10, San Francisco face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 10.

Shanahan tight-lipped on McCaffrey status

In a call with reporters on Monday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that McCaffrey has been dealing with Achilles tendinitis in both legs, but otherwise offered little new information on the player’s recovery.

Asked if he had spoken to McCaffrey about how he feels after receiving treatment in Germany late last month, Shanahan responded, per 49erswebszone: “No, I haven’t.”

Cardinals vs 49ers: start time, how to watch

The 49ers welcome the Cardinals to Levi’s Stadium today, Sunday October 6, 2024, with kick-off in Santa Clara scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT. Viewers in the US can watch the game on FOX.

If you don’t have cable, you can tune in to FOX’s coverage of Arizona vs San Francisco on the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free introductory trial.

The 49ers head into Week 5 with a 2-2 record, having snapped a two-game losing streak with a 30-13 win over the New England Patriots last Sunday. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have slumped to 1-3 after consecutive defeats to the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders.