The San Francisco 49ers aren’t out of the woods yet with injuries in their offensive backfield.
RB Christian McCaffrey is expected to return in Week 10 when the 49ers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they may not have his backup Jordan Mason.
Mason was a breakout star for the 49ers offense while McCaffrey was out, racking up 685 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 134 carries. He injured his shoulder in the first half of the 49ers’ Week 6 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks and didn’t return to the game. Then he made it through Week 7 before re-aggravating the injury in Week 8 and missing the entire second half again.
Here’s the latest on Mason heading into Week 10:
Jordan Mason injury update
It looked like Mason was on track to play after being listed as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice. Thursday was a different story though with Mason being given a ‘limited participation’ designation, putting his status for Week 10 in doubt.
How long will Jordan Mason be out?
There’s no clear timeline for Mason to return from his AC joint sprain. He got through Week 7 without any issue, and he may still play in Week 10. It doesn’t appear as though the injury is serious enough for him to miss significant time. With McCaffrey returning, the team may opt to give Mason another week to fully heal. There’s no indicator he’s in danger of a long-term absence though.
49ers RB depth chart
McCaffrey will be atop the depth chart, and Mason figures to get some work spelling him as the reigning Offensive Player of the Year returns from Achilles tendinitis. If Mason can’t go, rookie RB Isaac Guerendo would be the next man up, followed by RB Patrick Taylor. Guerendo had his best game as a pro in Week 8, running 14 times for 85 yards and his first-career touchdown.
