ChristianMcCaffrey

News: 2 days agoMcCaffrey (undisclosed) was not listed on the injury report the 49ers released Tuesday, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Spin: McCaffrey's status has been a hot topic for nearly a month, particularly after it was reported in mid-August that he was dealing with some sort of "tightness." However, McCaffrey himself said in late August that he always planned to take it easy during training camp, and San Francisco's first injury report of the year confirms he is 100 percent. As such, it seems likely the star running back will fill his regular high-volume role when the 49ers kick off their season against the Rams in Australia.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: McCaffrey is back for his fifth season with the 49ers after a bounce-back 2025 campaign in which he led all running backs in snaps, routes, touches, targets, receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and fantasy points. McCaffrey's rushing efficiency wasn't great (3.86 yards per carry), and he's entering his age-30 season after handling 450 touches (including the playoffs) in 2025. The history of overworked backs suggests we should expect a step back in 2026, but CMC is a unicorn, and the combination of his skill set and hefty usage in Kyle Shanahan's offense suggests he can overcome history. There's obvious risk here, but McCaffrey will be an elite option whenever he's on the field.