49ers expect Christian McCaffrey to make season debut vs. Buccaneers, coach says

Christian McCaffrey is yet backmost for the San Francisco 49ers. 

Niners caput coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday helium expects the 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year to marque his play debut Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

McCaffrey’s signifier model opened earlier this week, giving him 21 days to marque his debut, oregon he'd beryllium done for the season. It was ever expected the moving backmost would person a accidental to play this week, and the 49ers emotion having him back.

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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers runs the shot for a touchdown successful the 2nd 4th against the Kansas City Chiefs during the Super Bowl astatine Allegiant Stadium Feb. 11, 2024, successful Las Vegas. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

To accidental this has been a agelong clip coming would beryllium an understatement. McCaffrey’s wounded presumption has been a roller coaster ride, starting with Shanahan saying astatine the opening of grooming campy his prima moving backmost would miss a mates of weeks owed to a calf injury.

But McCaffrey was amazingly inactive for the team’s opening week matchup against the New York Jets. Jordan Mason has started successful spot of McCaffrey.

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Then the 49ers announced McCaffrey would spell connected injured reserve, forcing him to miss astatine slightest 4 games, but he's missed much since then. 

It got to the constituent McCaffrey traveled to Germany to person adept attraction for his Achilles injury. And past Shanahan revealed McCaffrey had been dealing with injuries successful some ankles.

San Francisco 49ers moving backmost Christian McCaffrey watches from the sideline successful the 2nd 4th against the New York Jets astatine Levi's Stadium.  (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)

McCaffrey starred for the NFC champion 49ers successful 2023, starring the league with 1,459 rushing yards and scoring 21 times — 14 connected the ground, 7 done the aerial — anchoring the team’s offense.

Having McCaffrey successful the backfield opened galore possibilities for Shanahan and gave backmost Brock Purdy, who continues to beryllium he’s a franchise quarterback, different weapon.

McCaffrey returns to an unusual concern compared to past seasons. The 49ers are tied with the Los Angeles Rams astatine 4-4 successful the NFC West, which is led by the Arizona Cardinals astatine 5-4. 

Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates aft scoring a 5-yard rushing touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the 2nd 4th astatine State Farm Stadium Dec. 17, 2023, successful Glendale, Ariz. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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The contention for the part is close, and the 49ers person looked mean with McCaffrey out.

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