Christian McCaffrey Limited by Calf Injury Ahead of 49ers' Week 1 Game vs. Seahawks

Injury concerns have been an unfortunate reality for San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey at times during his career, and he is reportedly dealing with another issue ahead of Sunday's season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

San Francisco listed McCaffrey as a limited participant in Thursday's practice due to a calf injury. He was not listed on Wednesday's injury report.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group added more details:

When healthy, there is no doubting the Stanford product as one of the best playmakers in football.

He was the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year when he led the league with 1,459 rushing yards to go with 564 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns. San Francisco reached the Super Bowl that season in large part because of McCaffrey's individual brilliance and ability to contribute as a lead runner and pass-catcher.

Yet injuries limited him to just four games last season, which prevented him from building on that effort.

It was something of a surprise when McCaffrey was ruled out before San Francisco's first game of the 2024 season because of calf and Achilles concerns, but he didn't make his debut until November.

He played just four games before he was lost to injury once again as the 49ers struggled on the way to a 6-11 record.

Ideally for the 49ers, McCaffrey will return to the lineup and anchor the offense in 2025, especially with Brandon Aiyuk sidelined to start the season. But this latest update will certainly raise concern in the Bay Area with the first game just days away.

San Francisco can at least take solace knowing it traded for Brian Robinson Jr. this offseason for important depth. Robinson ran for 799 yards and eight touchdowns last season for the Washington Commanders and is someone who is accustomed to handling a starter's workload if needed.