Is Christian McCaffrey playing tonight? Latest injury update on 49ers running back

It was an eventful offseason for the San Francisco 49ers leading up to the 2024 NFL campaign. So much so that the health of star running back Christian McCaffrey flew under the radar before their regular-season opener against the New York Jets.

In early August, McCaffrey suffered a calf strain that prompted him to skip the entire preseason. However, initial reporting indicated it wasn't particularly concerning, considering he was unlikely to appear in the exhibition contests regardless as a proven veteran.

Following a near-month hiatus, McCaffrey returned to the practice field for the Niners, albeit in limited fashion. Nevertheless, his questionable tag leading up to Week 1 versus the Jets suggests the injury still lingers.

But is the issue enough to keep McCaffrey out of the lineup when the 49ers host the Jets on Monday Night Football?

Is Christian McCaffrey playing tonight? Latest injury update on 49ers running back

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, McCaffrey will be a surprise inactive and miss San Francisco's showdown with the Jets.

As Garafolo notes, McCaffrey "tested" his calf prior to kickoff, though "it didn't feel right." Ultimately, the 49ers elected to "err on the side of caution" with their franchise tailback.

In an absolutely stunning turn of events, San Fran will be without their offensive focal point against a stout New York defense. What changed? Or was the matter initially downplayed, and we got led astray? The latter ostensibly seems to be the case -- and McCaffrey's ailment is more concerning than what meets the eye.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was optimistic about McCaffrey's availability for Week 1. The San Francisco sideline general anticipated the standout back would see his usual complement of snaps. Alas, that proved to be more hopeful than definitive.

McCaffrey's absence marks a substantial loss for the 49ers. The reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year is a one-manwrecking crew. His dual-threat ability as a rusher and receiver out of the backfield will be difficult to emulate, especially on such short notice.

Hopefully, for the 49er Faithful, McCaffrey will only sit out this single game against the Jets. But given the current circumstances, his status can't be taken for granted.

Backup Jordan Mason will attempt to fill the void left by McCaffrey, and perhaps self-proclaimed "wide back" Deebo Samuel will receive additional carries.