The 49ers might have the game's best running back in Christian McCaffrey. But they'll be without him for the first five weeks of the season, as Adam Schefter reported Saturday.
McCaffrey was listed as inactive an hour prior to kickoff in Week 1, in a surprise to NFL fans (and fantasy football managers).
Ahead of Week 2, San Francisco placed the 28-year-old on injured reserve. As a result, McCaffrey must sit out the next four weeks. He cannot return until the 49ers' Oct. 10 game against the Seahawks in Seattle at the earliest.
With the unexpected news, San Fransisco will turn toward its depth at running back. Here's a look at the 49ers' RB depth chart behind McCaffrey.
WEEK 2 FANTASY RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
49ers RB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Christian McCaffrey |
| 2 | Jordan Mason |
| 3 | Isaac Guerendo |
| 4 | Patrick Taylor Jr. |
1. Christian McCaffrey
When he's playing, McCaffrey is one of the most dynamic weapons in NFL history. He played in 16 games last season, racking up 1,459 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns.
However, he does have a troubling injury history. McCaffrey played in just 16 games between the 2020-2022 seasons with the Panthers, and he will now miss the first five weeks of the 2024 season.
2. Jordan Mason
After the news that RB Elijah Mitchell will miss the entire 2024 season, Mason became McCaffrey's official second fiddle.
Mitchell has been around in San Fransisco for three seasons, usually serving as McCaffrey's top backup. But a hamstring injury will keep him sidelined this season.
Mason, meanwhile, will step in as the starter for McCaffrey. Over two years with the 49ers, Mason has 464 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry. He looked the part of a started in Week 1, notching 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.
3. Isaac Guerendo
At RB3 for San Fransisco is Guerendo, a rookie drafted in the fourth round back in April.
Guerendo played at Wisconsin and Louisville throughout his college career. His best season came in 2023 with the Cardinals, finishing with 810 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
4. Patrick Taylor Jr.
The final RB on the 49ers' roster is Taylor Jr., who spent the past three seasons with the Packers.
Taylor Jr. had a career-high 141 rushing yards last season in a packed Green Bay RB room. He has just one touchdown in his NFL career so far, which came in 2021, but he profiles more as a receiving back, as he had 11 receptions in his limited field time last season.