Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Fri 1/27/23 4:13 PM

McCaffrey (calf) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
The 49ers took it easy on McCaffrey this week as he tended to a bruised right calf, holding him out of practice Wednesday and Thursday. But he was able to return to the field Friday, after which coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey was "full go," according to Omar Ruiz of NFL Network. While McCaffrey's status for Sunday is clear, Elijah Mitchell's (groin) is not, as he's listed as questionable after getting in some minimal work Friday. Look for McCaffrey to handle his usual workload this weekend, with or without Mitchell, which has amounted to 19.5 touches per game for the former during the 49ers' current 12-game winning streak.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Fri 1/27/23 2:58 PM

McCaffrey (calf) returned to practice Friday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
After he sat out the first two sessions of the week due to a bruised right calf, McCaffrey's presence on the field and in drills Friday is a positive sign for his availability ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Philadelphia. For what it's worth, he relayed to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday that there's "zero" chance he doesn't suit up this weekend, so now the only question appears to be if he'll have a designation for the contest. Meanwhile, fellow running back Elijah Mitchell (groin) again wasn't with his teammates Friday, which allowed practice-squad member Tevin Coleman to take reps directly behind McCaffrey. In the end, the composition of the 49ers backfield remains in flux for the time being.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Thu 1/26/23 6:09 PM

McCaffrey (calf), who didn't practice Thursday, told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area that there's "zero" chance that he doesn't play in Sunday's NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia.
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey emerged from this past Sunday's divisional-round win versus the Cowboys with a bruised right calf. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, McCaffrey was in uniform and holding a helmet as he left the locker room to hit the practice field Thursday, but he didn't log any official activity for a second straight session, as coach Kyle Shanahan forecast beforehand. Fellow running back Elijah Mitchell (groin) also hasn't mixed into drills this week, while Deebo Samuel (ankle) was limited both Wednesday and Thursday. The 49ers are expected to have all three available this weekend, but Friday's injury report will reveal whether or not McCaffrey enters it with a designation.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Thu 1/26/23 2:52 PM

Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey (calf) won't participate in Thursday's practice, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey emerged from this past Sunday's divisional-round win against the Cowboys with a right calf injury, which so far hasn't allowed for any on-field work this week. The same can be said for backup running back Elijah Mitchell (groin), while the do-it-all Deebo Samuel (ankle) has managed back-to-back limited practices. There's an expectation from Shanahan that all three players will be available for Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Philadelphia, but McCaffrey may enter the weekend with a designation if he's unable to mix into drills at Friday's session.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Wed 1/25/23 2:51 PM

McCaffrey (calf) won't practice Wednesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel (ankle) and Elijah Mitchell (groin) are all sitting out Wednesday's practice to nurse minor injuries, but head coach Kyle Shanahan expects to have the trio of playmakers available for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. McCaffrey and Mitchell played through their respective injuries during the 49ers' divisional-round win over Dallas and were deemed day-to-day by Shanahan on Monday, so it appears their absences Wednesday are merely precautionary. Following Wednesday's session, San Francisco will have two more practices before the team has to give McCaffrey an official designation for the NFC title game.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Mon 1/23/23 2:53 PM

McCaffrey (calf) is considered day-to-day, but coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that he expects McCaffrey to play in Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Fellow 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (groin) also is considered day-to-day. McCaffrey and Mitchell both played through their respective injuries in the divisional round against Dallas, with the former producing 57 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 16 touches while the latter rushed 14 times for 51 yards. The running backs may have their reps capped in practice throughout the week, but both should be available Sunday, barring any setbacks.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Mon 1/23/23 10:01 AM

McCaffrey noted after Sunday's 19-12 win over the Cowboys in the divisional round that the right calf issue that resulted in him ceding snaps to backup Elijah Mitchell late in the contest is "all good" and won't affect his availability for this weekend's NFC Championship Game matchup with the Eagles, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports. "I was fighting but made it through, made it through great," McCaffrey said. "[The calf] is nothing bad."
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey ended Sunday's contest with 10 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 22 yards on eight targets while playing 67 percent of the snaps on offense, his second-lowest share in any of the 49ers' eight games dating back to Week 13. After finding the end zone from two yards out with 14:58 left in the fourth quarter, McCaffrey didn't draw a carry on either of the 49ers' final two possessions while Mitchell received 11 handoffs between the two drives, though McCaffrey did record two receptions. The fact that McCaffrey was available in some capacity down the stretch supports the notion that his calf injury isn't a major concern, but it wouldn't be surprising if he received some extra maintenance in the 49ers' practices this week.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Sun 1/22/23 11:25 PM

McCaffrey rushed 10 times for 35 yards and a touchdown and caught six of eight targets for 22 yards in Sunday's 19-12 playoff win over the Cowboys.
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey was held in check for most of the contest, but a short touchdown run in the fourth quarter salvaged his fantasy day. The 26-year-old split touches with Elijah Mitchell (14-51-0), with the former commanding all of the backfield targets Sunday. McCaffrey still presents the higher upside due to his contributions as a receiver heading into next Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Eagles.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Sat 1/14/23 8:42 PM

McCaffrey rushed 15 times for 119 yards and caught both of his targets for 17 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 41-23 playoff win over Seattle.
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey got San Francisco's offense kickstarted when he broke his first carry of the game for 68 yards, eventually leading to a short receiving touchdown for the dual-threat back. The 26-year-old remained heavily involved on offense even with the 49ers getting back to full strength at the playmaker positions for the start of the playoffs. McCaffrey figures to remain a key cog on offense heading into the divisional round, so expect a minimum of 15-20 productive touches and a high DFS price tag next week. He's now scored at least one touchdown in seven straight games.

Christian McCaffrey
RB SF (9)
Thu 1/12/23 5:20 PM1 Comment

McCaffrey (knee) doesn't have a designation for Saturday's wild-card game against the Seahawks, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
McCaffrey endured some practice limitations this week due to lingering knee soreness, but as has been the case for the previous six weeks, he won't carry a designation into game day. During that six-game stretch, he's been the engine that drives the 49ers offense, turning 128 touches into 767 yards from scrimmage and seven TDs.