The San Francisco 49ers could emerge from their bye week with some good news.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey has ramped up his workouts this week as he continues the rehab of his Achilles injuries. He could return to practice next week and make his 2024 season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 10 game on Nov. 10.
“He’s had no setbacks so it looks like we’re on track, but he’s going to hit it hard this week while we’re gone and simulate some practice stuff for himself,” San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday. “As long as it all goes good, hopefully we’ll get him back in practice next week.”
McCaffrey has not played this season after being diagnosed with bilateral Achilles tendonitis. He has been dealing with the injury since early August, and the team had expected he would be ready for Week 1. When he wasn’t, he was placed on injured reserve prior to Week 2.
Shanahan said if all goes well, the league’s leading rusher and Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, will be eased back into the action.
“The expectation is just see how he is when he gets back and then evaluate him as he goes,” Shanahan told reporters. “Of course, the hope is that everything just goes back to normal, and it’s perfect, that’s what we’re all striving for. But, you’ve got to play that out smartly, and you’ve got to evaluate that each day. What we see with our own eyes, what he tells us, and that’ll be something we constantly are working through.”
The 49ers are coming off a solid 30-24 Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys, evening their record at 4-4 and in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West.