49ers' Christian McCaffrey Has 'Mild' Calf Injury, Won't Play in Week 18 vs. Rams

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a "mild" calf strain and won't play Sunday's regular-season finale, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Monday.

The 49ers already have the NFC's No. 1 seed locked up, so sitting in Week 18 means McCaffrey will have nearly three weeks to get healthy for the team's divisional-round playoff game.

McCaffrey previously dealt with an oblique injury that forced him to leave his team's Week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, although he returned for the Week 7 game against the Minnesota Vikings. His importance was clear in the loss to the Browns, as the normally potent San Francisco offense struggled on its way to just 17 total points.

He'll finish the 2023 campaign with 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground to go with 67 catches for 564 yards and seven scores as a receiver in 16 games. His versatility allows the 49ers to create matchup problems on the field, which also leads to openings for their other offensive weapons.

While San Francisco doesn't have another running back option who can impact the game in the same way as McCaffrey, look for it to turn toward the combination of Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.