49ers better hope Jordan Mason has another special game in him

The San Francisco 49ers took care of the New York Jets with relative ease on Monday Night Football, winning 32-19 in a game that was less close than the final score suggests. The Niners did it all without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, who was benched last minute due to what Kyle Shanahan dubbed 'Achilles tendinitis.'

That left former undrafted free agent Jordan Mason as the Niners' RB1. There was understandable trepidation going into the game — Mason's prior career high was 69 yards on 10 carries — but the Georgia Tech product swiftly put all worries to bed with a dominant performance.

He was San Francisco's most explosive weapon all night, registering 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown. He also netted a five-yard reception for good measure. Shanahan was not afraid to lean on the 25-year-old, whose physical, downhill running style offered a noticeable contrast to McCaffrey's standard finesse.

It's clear the 49ers can survive McCaffrey's absence, even against a pretty good defense, but in a perfect world, this would be a one-game sabbatical for the three-time Pro Bowl RB. McCaffrey even expressed optimism in a Week 2 return on Wednesday, telling reporters, "my mentality is that I'm playing this week."

While McCaffrey is getting his hopes up, however, fans are advised to proceed with caution. The latest intel on the star halfback's availability is not great.

Christian McCaffrey is 'long shot' to play in Week 2 for 49ers-Vikings

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, McCaffrey is a "long shot" to appear for the 49ers in their Week 2 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings. That naturally leaves Jordan Mason in line for another start, this time against the Vikings' talented front seven. There's no real doubt that he can perform.

Mason looked every bit like the star RB San Francisco was lacking on Monday. At 5-foot-11 and 223 pounds, he runs with an impressive fire, plowing through oncoming defenders and muscling his way to extra yards after contact. He averaged a robust 5.3 yards per carry against the Jets despite the heavy workload, maintaining efficiency on the busiest night of his NFL career.

The Niners won't get the same pass-catching utility with Mason as they do with McCaffrey, but in terms of pure running, Mason has plenty to offer. Shanahan is arguably the game's brightest offensive coach and he did an excellent job of unleashing Mason in Week 1, deploying creative misdirections to open up oceanic gaps in San Francisco's stout offensive line.

Minnesota presents a new challenge, but the Niners' offense is the most collectively talented in all of football, with the possible exception of those dudes in Kansas City. Mason was the workhorse in Week 1 — and he's on track for a similar role in Week 2 — but he's far from the only playmaking threat defenses are concerned about. Deebo Samuel ran eight times for 29 yards and a touchdown on Monday, in addition to lining up all over the formation as a receiver. It's a by-committee approach to "replacing" McCaffrey and dismantling the opposing defense.