Christian McCaffrey could be nearing a return to action, just in time for the San Francisco 49ers to embark on the latter part of the 2024 NFL season.

On Monday, the 49ers opened the practice window for McCaffrey, San Francisco’s star running back. If all goes well for the 28-year-old, he could potentially return against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10 after missing the entirety of the season rehabbing from various lower leg injuries.

Originally slated to play to start the season, McCaffrey missed the 49ers Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets and was placed on IR after Week 2. At one point, the star running back even flew to Germany to address the Achilles tendinitis and calf tightness he experienced.

Videos posted on social media showed McCaffrey getting comfortable at the 49ers’ practice facility, jogging and pantomiming gameday moves, albeit at a slower pace. That said, McCaffrey’s return in Week 10 against the Buccaneers is not unexpected, with ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter explaining last week that the star was slated to play sooner rather than later.

During an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ Schefter broke news on McCaffrey’s status and how close he was to returning to action after his extended hiatus. “Here, as of right now, might be the first positive Christian McCaffrey injury update of the entire season,” Schefter told McAfee and his team.

“So far, he has not had any setbacks during his recovery. I don’t want to jynx this, right, knock on wood, I don’t want to jynx this, but he has not had any setbacks and he has looked strong and right now, he’s poised to get back, I think, after their bye and playa gainst the Buccaneers.”

Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during pregame warmups before Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Christian McCaffrey is nearing a return after missing more than half of the 2024 NFL season due to injury ( 

Image:

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

Despite the positive update, Schefter made it clear that McCaffrey’s return is dependent on if he experiences a setback of some kind. “Now, now again, hold on,” the ESPN insider continued, which led to muted responses from McAfee and others in the studio.

“We thought he was going to play in the opener and all of a sudden, that Friday before, setback. But I think we could say it this way: Right now, he is tracking to playing against the Buccaneers.”

Schefter’s update is in line with what 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters during a conference call on Oct. 28. In particular, Shanahan emphasized how McCaffrey’s status hinges on his seeing how the star responds to practice after being off the field for such a long time.

“It depends on how this week goes,” Shanahan said at the time, per The Athletic. “He’s had no setbacks, so it looks like we’re on track.”

Additionally, Shanahan explained that once McCaffrey can play, he will be limited. “The expectation is we’ll see how he is when he gets back and then evaluate him as he goes,” San Francisco’s head coach said.

“Of course, the hope is that everything just goes back to normal (and is) perfect. That’s what we’re all striving for. But we’ve got to play that out smartly and evaluate that each day — what we see with our own eyes, what he tells us. That will be something we’re constantly working through.”