49ers Facing Intense Backlash for Christian McCaffrey Move

Fantasy football owners are not happy with how the team dealt with the injury to star running back Christian McCaffrey ahead of the Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Jets.

The 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year was announced as out just an hour before kickoff in the season opener at Levi's Stadium.

A possibility for the close call could have been that head coach Kyle Shanahan and company considered McCaffrey a game-time decision leading up to kickoff. But that is unlikely, according to backup tailback Jordan Mason, who told ESPN's Lisa Salters that the decision was made for him to start on "maybe Friday night."

If Mason's account is accurate, that means the 49ers withheld the true nature of McCaffrey's achilles and calf injury for days. While his absence wasn't a deciding factor in the 49ers' 32-19 win, fantasy football owners have a bone to pick with the organization.

"So SF knew on Friday that CMC wasn't going to go," a user tweeted.

The NFL requires teams to report injuries three times per week.

“The information must be credible, accurate, timely, and specific within the guidelines of the policy, which is of paramount importance in maintaining the integrity of the game," the league policy states.

It wouldn't be a surprise for the league to investigate the situation.

McCaffrey's fantasy production in 2023 was outstanding with 1,459 yards rushing and 67 receptions for 564 yards with 21 total touchdowns. But if you started him this week, the three-time First-Team All-Pro selection yielded zero points.

Fantasy football aside, 49ers fans should be happy with the offensive performance without their superstar. Mason, who went undrafted in 2022, had a career night with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco will travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings (1-0) on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET (CBS). McCaffrey's status is unclear at this time.

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