Will the 49ers place Christian McCaffrey on Injured Reserve?

As much as the Niners will like their chances of dominating the division once again, there is no way to deny the fact that the absence of their star running back is a major blow to the team. It is also one that is compounded by the team’s lack of cover in the position.

What’s up with Christian McCaffrey?

As you may have noticed, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey did not play in his team’s season-opening 32–19 win over the New York Jets on Monday. As he continues to suffer from a calf injury and Achilles tendonitis, McCaffrey was ruled out of Monday night’s game and according to reports, that’s set to be the case this Sunday when the Niners take on the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Speaking with the media on Friday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan officially ruled out the 28-year-old before adding that the team was considering placing McCaffrey on injured reserve. What that means is that the running back would be missing not only this weekend’s clash with the Vikings but the next three games as well. Needless to say, that is not an ideal situation for the reigning NFC champions to face as they look to make another run at that elusive Super Bowl title.

Where cover is concerned, there is a problem and that’s the lack of it. Go-to backup Elijah Mitchell has been ruled out for the year which means Jordan Mason is who will be taking the carries in McCaffrey’s absence. Now, it should be said that Mason was solid in the Week 1 win, notching 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries against the Jets. That’s not bad. So, at this point, we wait and watch while the Niners prepare for their date with the Vikings on Sunday. Kick of is set for 1:00 p.m. ET. Don’t miss it.