The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday announced how they’d replace running back Christian McCaffrey.
In a slew of roster moves the 49ers placed McCaffrey on IR, claimed RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the New York Jets and signed wide receiver Ronnie Bell to the practice squad.
McCaffrey suffered a season-ending PCL injury in his knee during the 49ers’ Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated on Monday McCaffrey would go on IR with only five games to go and McCaffrey expected to miss at least six weeks.
While Abanikanda will replace him on the roster, the expectation is that rookie RB Isaac Guerendo will carry a lion’s share of the workload in the backfield. Abanikanda may work his way into the backup RB role depending on how the team feels about RB Patrick Taylor who is on the practice squad and spent the first nine weeks on the active roster before McCaffrey returned.
Abanikanda was a fifth-round pick of the Jets in the 2023 draft. He played in six games as a rookie and churned out 70 yards on 22 carries.
Bell was waived by the 49ers on Friday before Week 13. The 2023 seventh-round pick gives San Francisco a reliable internal option if they need depth at WR or on special teams.
We may see additional roster moves in the backfield with RB Jordan Mason also potentially hitting IR after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 13.