The San Francisco 49ers will be without arguably their most important offensive weapon during Monday night's season-opening tilt against the New York Jets.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey is inactive for the game while continuing to nurse a calf injury he sustained during the offseason, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. McCaffrey had initially been listed as questionable for the game after being a limited participant in practice throughout the week.
With the 28-year-old sidelined, the Niners will lean more heavily on backup Jordan Mason and rookie third-stringer Isaac Guerendo.
McCaffrey is coming off a sensational season in 2023 during which he scored 21 total touchdowns and racked up a league-high 1,459 rushing yards to go with 564 receiving yards. His absence will be notable against a stalwart Jets defense.
The 49ers' inactive list for Monday Night Football includes McCaffrey, quarterback Joshua Dobbs, cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., safety Talanoa Hufanga, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, linebacker Dee Winters and offensive lineman Ben Bartch.
It's not immediately clear how long McCaffrey's calf injury will keep him sidelined, but he didn't participate in the preseason to get additional rest. That wasn't enough for him to be available in Week 1, but he'll hope to be back by Week 2 when San Francisco plays the Minnesota Vikings.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 49ers Rule Christian McCaffrey Out for Season Opener vs. Jets Due to Injury.
