When will Christian McCaffrey return? Latest injury updates on 49ers RB

Is this the week that San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey returns?

McCaffrey has missed all eight of his team's games this season so far. For more than nine weeks, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year has been working his way back from an Achilles injury that he has battled since training camp. This week, the star running back finally returned to practice for the first time since the 49ers placed him on injured reserve in Week 2.

Following his return on Monday, San Francisco has 21 days to decide whether to activate McCaffrey to its active roster. The team has not yet made a public decision, and the running back's status is still up in the air for the 49ers' Week 10 clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Here's everything we know about McCaffrey and his injury so far:

When will Christian McCaffrey return?

McCaffrey was eligible to return as early as his team's Week 6 game against the Seattle Seahawks after the team placed him on injured reserve before a Week 2 game. Instead, he remained on IR for a few extra weeks as he continued to work his way back from an Achilles injury.

This week, the star running back made his return to 49ers practice as San Francisco started his three-week practice window. Whether McCaffrey will play in Week 10 against the Buccaneers remains unclear. San Francisco will continue to monitor the 28-year-old to make sure he avoids any setbacks, and head coach Kyle Shanahan would like to keep his cards close to his chest.

When reporters asked Shanahan when a decision would be made regarding McCaffrey's Week 10 status, he said, "Like publicly? Kickoff."

If he does play, his workload "definitely could [be normal], but it definitely also might not," said Shanahan.

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When was Christian McCaffrey's injury?

McCaffrey was dealing with a calf and Achilles injury as early as the start of training camp on Aug. 6. Even then, San Francisco knew that its starting running back might need to spend time on injured reserve before he appeared in a game, though they initially held off on that decision.

Ahead of the 49ers' Week 2 game with the Minnesota Vikings, McCaffrey attempted to return to practice. It did not go well; Shanahan told reporters afterward that the running back experienced his "worst day" of pain doing so. San Francisco placed the reigning Offensive Player of the Year on IR before the game later that week, where he remained until Monday, when the team activated his three-week practice window.

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Christian McCaffrey stats

McCaffrey has yet to play in a game for the 49ers this season as he's worked to recover from a lower leg injury. Here are his stats with San Francisco in 2023:

• Rush attempts: 272

• Rushing yards: 1,459 (led the league)

• Yards per carry: 5.4

• Targets: 83

• Catches: 67

• Receiving yards: 564

• Yards per reception: 8.4

• Yards from scrimmage: 2,023 (led the league)

• Total TDs: 21 (led the league)

49ers RB depth chart

San Francisco has relied on third-year running back Jordan Mason for most of the 2024 season with McCaffrey out and Elijah Mitchell on season-ending IR for a hamstring injury. Mason has been dealing with a shoulder injury in recent weeks, which has led to a heavier reliance on rookie back Isaac Guerendo.

Patrick Taylor Jr. is also on the 49ers' depth chart as an extra reinforcement in case of further injuries. The team also has fullback Kyle Juszczyk on its roster.

Below is a full look at the 49ers' running back depth chart behind McCaffrey:

• Jordan Mason

• Isaac Guerendo

• Patrick Taylor Jr.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will Christian McCaffrey return? Latest updates for 49ers RB