The San Francisco 49ers will play their first playoff game of the year this weekend after earning a first-round bye for locking up the No. 1 seed during the regular season.
Star 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey picked up a calf injury in Week 17, though, that cost him most of that game and the entire Week 18 game as well.
Updates about McCaffrey’s availability for Sunday’s match with the Green Bay Packers have been few and far between, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed Tuesday that McCaffrey was a full participant in practice, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, which bodes well for his ability to suit up this weekend.
#49ers coach Kyle Shanahan tells reporters that RB Christian McCaffrey will be a full participant in practice today. It seems the bye week did the trick for his injured calf.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2024
McCaffrey is the focal point of the 49ers offense after powered them to a 12-5 record this season with his running and pass-catching ability.
He proved to be one of the most important skill position players in the NFL and one that the 49ers will surely rely on as they make a Super Bowl run this postseason.
A healthy version of McCaffrey is even more pertinent to San Francisco’s success, which is why the team felt comfortable sitting him for the past 1.5 games and had the fortune to let him rest during the first-round bye.
McCaffrey will be one of several offensive threats for the 49ers, including wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle.
That’s a lot for the Packers’ defense to handle, especially after going toe-to-toe with the Cowboys’ top-flight offensive players just a week ago.
