The San Francisco 49ers' over-under win total is set at 10.5 games, which is among the highest projected totals of the league. However, much of their offense and overall success hinges on the health of 29-year-old Christian McCaffrey.
After remaining healthy for the offseason, CMC was limited in Thursday's practice with a calf injury. He missed Friday's practice and is considered questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. If he plays, it's fair to expect that he'll be fairly limited, and the real concern is the long-term impact of this injury.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, who went from a full practice Wednesday to being limited on Thursday, did not practice today due to a calf injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2025
McCaffrey is considered questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/Akk3BvUQRA
Of course, this unfortunate and concerning news is especially for CMC, who is coming off a pedal Achilles injury. The Niners' offense is built around McCaffrey's impact as both a runner and passer-catcher. Without CMC or if he's limited, the 49ers' season outlook is fairly grim. Notably, they went just 6-11 with CMC missing all but four games last season. Yes, they had other key injuries, but CMC's was the most impactful.
Unfortunately, it feels like a realistic scenario that CMC misses some time and/or doesn't look like himself this season. He has an extensive injury history, is aging, and there's a connection between calf and Achilles injuries. It feels likely that injuries will hinder CMC's season.
Christian McCaffrey is key to the Niners' success, but his health could derail their season
When McCaffrey is healthy, he is a dominant player. Notably, in the 2023 season, when he was last healthy, CMC racked up 2,023 all-purpose yards, and the Niners made a Super Bowl run. The Stanford product has exceeded 500 receiving yards five times in his career, making him one of the league's best and most unique running backs.
Undoubtedly, the Niners' offense is built around CMC's versatility. With Deebo Samuel being traded and Brandon Aiyuk missing the start of the season with an injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan will be counting on McCaffrey as a pass-catcher even more this season. Sure, they traded for Brian Robinson Jr., but he's not nearly as versatile or impactful as CMC. Isaac Guerendo had an up-and-down year with McCaffrey out for the majority of the season due to injuries.
Replacing a player as talented as McCaffrey is hard enough, but it's nearly impossible given how CMC-dependent the Niners are. I wouldn't rule the 49ers out as playoff contenders with McCaffrey's injury update. However, this is a team with Super Bowl hopes, and if McCaffrey isn't at 100% the possibility of a deep playoff run can be ruled out. After this update, Niners fans should temper their expectations about the upcoming season.