Adam Schefter suggests Christian McCaffrey may return from injury sooner than later, which is great news for the 49ers.
There are plenty of reasons why the San Francisco 49ers have been unable to stay above the .500 mark for any serious length of time this season.
Injuries are a prime one.
Perhaps no other injury has beset the Niners more than All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to play in 2024, thanks to tendinitis in both Achilles, which landed him on injured reserve entering Week 2 and forced head coach Kyle Shanahan to fully adjust his offense.
To illustrate the point, during the Sunday Night Football broadcast of San Francisco's Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys, NBC Sports color commentator Cris Collinsworth repeatedly emphasized how the 49ers offense sorely missed McCaffrey the most out of all its other injuries.
For weeks, steady streams of reports said there was no timetable on the reigning Offensive Player of the Year's return.
Until recently.
Adam Schefter says Christian McCaffrey could return for 49ers in Week 10
The scuttlebutt surrounding McCaffrey's return seemed to center around November, which would give the Niners offense a much-needed boost.
However, the day after San Francisco's Sunday night victory, ESPN's Adam Schefter joined The Pat McAfee Show and gave a concrete date for the running back's possible return.
"We have some positive Christian McCaffrey news..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 28, 2024
So far has has not had any setbacks during his recovery..
Right now he's poised to get back and play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers" @AdamSchefter #PMSLive #FTTB pic.twitter.com/crXXZvcZ2v
"So far, he has not had any setbacks during his recovery," Schefter said. "I don't want to jinx this, right? Knock on wood. I don't want to jinx this, but he has not had any setbacks, and he has looked strong. And right now, yeah, he's poised to get back, I think, after their bye and play against the Buccaneers."
That'd be Week 10, since the 49ers are on their bye in Week 9.
It couldn't come at a better time either, considering the Niners lost fellow running back Jordan Mason to a shoulder injury against Dallas, and the extent of that particular injury isn't known just yet.
Even if Mason is able to return, San Francisco's offense becomes significantly more lethal with McCaffrey in the lineup. And the fact there have been no setbacks for the All-Pro suggests he'll be at 100 percent, precisely when the 49ers need him to go on a second-half surge.