49ers' Christian McCaffrey Feels 'Great' After Knee Injury Scare In Week 12

San Francisco 49ers fans can breathe a sigh of relief because it appears running back Christian McCaffrey will take the field for Sunday's showdown against the Miami Dolphins.

"I feel great," he said Thursday when discussing the knee concerns that could have potentially limited him in the contest, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

McCaffrey sat out Wednesday's practice after the early walk-through portion.

"He just felt something in it, some irritation," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters.

That it appears McCaffrey will play is all the more important for San Francisco considering running back Elijah Mitchell will miss six-to-eight weeks with an MCL sprain he suffered during a win over the New Orleans Saints.

Mitchell also suffered a knee injury during a Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears and didn't return until Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The 49ers acquired McCaffrey earlier this season in a trade with the Carolina Panthers, adding to a group of weapons that already included Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk. That group, along with a formidable defense, is a major reason why the team has won four games in a row and looks like a Super Bowl contender.

Yet losing McCaffrey and Mitchell from the backfield would greatly decrease the team's ceiling, especially since there may still be questions about Jimmy Garoppolo's ability to win a Lombardi Trophy as a thrower.

Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price provide depth at the running back position, but neither of them can change a game the way McCaffrey can.

The Stanford product has 634 rushing yards, 479 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns across 11 games for the Panthers and 49ers this season.