Overview
- McCaffrey left the 49ers’ Week 7 game with a thigh issue, returned in the third quarter and finished with seven carries for 39 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown plus six catches for 61 receiving yards.
- Team medical staff and multiple reports have classified the problem as a mild hamstring strain and say McCaffrey is not expected to miss time.
- McCaffrey described his leg as having “just died” during the game and said he was frustrated by playing limited, but he told reporters he expects to be fine moving forward.
- Quarterback Brock Purdy and coaches said McCaffrey’s absence altered the 49ers’ game plan on Sunday, Oct. 25, and younger backs such as Kaelon Black and Jordan James will see increased roles while the team heals.
- San Francisco’s Week 8 bye gives McCaffrey time for rest and rehab and also forces the team to sit on game tape for two weeks as it corrects turnovers and execution issues that contributed to its first loss of the season, with McCaffrey’s prior injury history noted as context for monitoring recovery.