The San Francisco 49ers played against what could turn out to be one of the league’s sneakier better teams in the AFC this season—possibly even a dark horse to make a deep playoff run—on Monday night. They did this by demonstrating their offensive and defensive brilliance. the Jets of New York
They succeeded in doing so in spite of losing Christian McCaffrey, the current Offensive Player of the Year and the clear first selection in almost every fantasy draft conducted in 2024.
Whatever the case, Jordan Mason, the highly-regarded backup and third-year running back, picked up the burden for the Niners, averaging an astounding 5.3 yards/play to score a touchdown and 147 rushing yards.
It’s unclear whether this is a reflection on Mason or a validation of the widely held conviction that, in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s incredibly inventive offensive scheme, almost any back (and maybe even some members of the general public) can succeed running behind All-Pro tackle Trent Williams. Nevertheless, praise is clearly deserved.
Even still, the Niners attack is definitely not the same without McCaffrey, both in the passing and running games. The three-time First Team All-Pro’s special skill set is arguably the most impressive and diverse of any offensive weapon in the league.
It seems sense, then, that the 49ers were upset to learn that the Stanford alum would be sidelined longer than anticipated. However, it appears that things might not be as bad as first believed, according to Underdog NFL
Christian McCaffrey Practicing On Thursday, Opening Door To Potentially Return In Week 2?
It is crucial that we lay out our foundation right away: practice refers to practice.
Importantly, though, Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that if it had been a postseason game, McCaffrey probably would have suit up and played, suggesting that the injury was definitely treatable. And for Niners supporters, any idea of mobility or playability is advantageous with something as potentially serious and protracted as an Achilles injury.
Moreover, it seems that beyond his continued practice, the man himself had some uplifting words to say about his current physical state, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
“My mentality is I’m playing this week. That’s where I’m at. That’s how I am every week. I’m not lying. I think as soon as a player says, maybe I’ll play, maybe I won’t. That’s not a good mentality to go into a week with when you’re kind of on the fence. So for me, I’m ready to go.”
Realistically, even if McCaffrey is 80-85% fit, it seems unlikely that San Francisco would risk re-aggravating the injury in their Week 2 matchup at Minnesota, where they are 5 point favorites. Especially considering Mason’s impressive Monday night performance as the team’s replacement bell-cow
