49ers HC provides significant update about RB Christian McCaffrey's recovery

"That he's just Christian McCaffrey and he's not hurting," Shanahan said, regarding McCaffrey's availability for Sunday. "As long as everything goes well, and it has in the rehab, as long as he doesn't get sore and have setbacks each day with practice — usually if you get that in practice that means it's going to be worse in the game — so hopefully he can string together three days in a row and not have any of those."

On Monday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said McCaffrey will play Sunday on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers if he stays on the right track. 

"Can he respond in a good way? Can he feel healthy enough? Can he feel like he can go make an impact and handle the volume that we've put on him?" Lynch said on "The TK Show." "If so, we won't hesitate to play him."

The 49ers should still exercise caution. In September, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported McCaffrey saw a specialist in Germany, suggesting the injury was more severe than previously thought.  

During McCaffrey's absence, 49ers third-year running back Jordan Mason has emerged as a solid option. In eight games, the former undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (685). 

However, a healthy McCaffrey could boost the Niners offense. In 2023, he won Offensive Player of the Year, running for a career-high 1,459 yards on 272 carries in 16 regular-season games. Additionally, he scored 21 touchdowns (14 rushing and seven receiving).

In his Wednesday column, ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote, "The Niners wouldn't bring McCaffrey back from Achilles tendinitis if they weren't sure he could handle his normal workload."   

McCaffrey's potential return could be coming at the right time for the 49ers. San Francisco (4-4) is third in the NFC West and would miss the playoffs if the season ended Wednesday. Star WR Brandon Aiyuk recently suffered a season-ending ACL/MCL tear, which could hamper San Francisco's passing attack. 

If McCaffrey keeps thriving when he returns, that could help the 49ers flip the switch.