San Francisco 49ers superstar running back Christian McCaffrey is being placed on the injured reserve with Achilles tendinitis and calf tightness, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday.
He will be forced to miss at least four weeks before the team can re-assess if he’s available to return in mid-October.
McCaffrey was ruled out of the team’s Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings earlier in the week after being held out of practice on Friday.
Following Friday’s practice, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the team was considering placing the running back on the IR, saying that Thursday’s practice was “his worst day.”
McCaffrey, 28, sustained the initial injuries in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before returning to the team early last week. He was a late scratch for the team’s Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets.
McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and was tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year.
In his absence, the 49ers fielded third-year RB Jordan Mason, who rushed for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown in the 32-19 win over New York.
