Christian McCaffrey hands Brock Purdy and San Francisco 49ers brutal blow

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is set to miss a second straight game battling a right calf injury. The team recently moved their star on the Injured Reserve list, which will rule out McCaffrey for a minimum of four weeks.

Backup Jordan Mason stepped up in a big way week run, rushing for 147 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown in a comfortable 32-19 victory over the New York Jets .

"I've never really looked at [fellow backup] Elijah [Mitchell] or JP [Mason] as two or threes," head coach Kyle Shanahan said . "I think those guys are capable of being ones as Elijah has shown in the past and so did JP. The two new guys when their [opportunity] comes, I believe they're ready."

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However, the team is undeniably better with the 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year on the Field. McCaffrey led the league with 2,023 total yards from scrimmage and tied for the NFL lead with 21 total scores.

The 49ers are trying to straddle two main objectives: A) locking up the #1 seed in the NFC to preserve a first-round bye, and B) keeping everyone healthy in the playoffs, where the team hasn't won a Super Bowl in nearly 30 years.

San Francisco's core window of contention shrinks every season. Quarterback Brock Purdy is still in the third year of a rookie contract which makes him the cheapest starting QB in the entire NFL.

McCaffrey turned 28 this season - old for a running back. Star left tackle Trent Williams is 36, and the team's record with him on the field vs off it in recent seasons is astounding.

The 49ers have a cushy upcoming schedule. They travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings in Week 2 before heading to face their banged-up division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, the following week. Home games against the Patriots and Cardinals follow before a road date with the Seahawks. Because he's on the Injured Reserve, McCaffrey will miss at least the first four games.

San Francisco will then welcome the two-time reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs into town for Week 7. Shanahan and company may like Mason, but they will want McCaffrey fully healthy for a contest that could go either way.

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“We have to be really smart and understand that this is a long year,” General Manager John Lynch said earlier this week. “And we need Christian fully healthy out there and we don’t want to compromise anything.”

What competition do the 49ers face for the #1 seed in the NFC? The Dallas Cowboys looked awfully impressive in their Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns, and although the Detroit Lions only squeaked by the Rams last Sunday, they will also be in the mix.

I hate not playing, but I look at it as a chess move," McCaffrey said. "Something that hopefully you can benefit from the rest of the season."