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Christian McCaffrey Injury History & Updates

Basic StatsChristian McCaffrey's Basic Stats

Christian McCaffrey
ADP: 1.1
Bye: 9
Experience: 7
Age: 28.3
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 210
40 Time: 4.48

SPARQx (Rank): 105.10 (35%)
Burst Score (Rank): 124.30 (79%)
Agility Score (Rank): 10.79 (98%)
Three Cone Drill (Rank): 6.57

Injury PredictorChristian McCaffrey's Injury Guide

High Risk

Chance of Injury in 2024

63.6%

% chance misses at least 2 quarters

Chance of Injury per Game

5.8%

1- 17√1-% Inj/Season

Projected Games Missed 2024

3.00

Durability

3.90

Ability to produce despire relatively minor injuries. 5 being most durable

Injury analysis powered by Draft Sharks Injury Guide, formerly SIP Logo

Injury History

Date League Injury Details
Oct 8, 2016 Non-NFL Inguinal Hip Pull McCaffrey missed 1 game (vs. Notre Dame).
Sep 20, 2020 NFL Pedal Ankle (high) Sprain Grade 3 McCaffrey suffered a right high-ankle sprain during Week 2's loss to the Buccaneers and missed six games
Nov 8, 2020 NFL Shoulder A/C Joint Sprain McCaffrey injured his shoulder on the last drive of Week 9's loss to the Chiefs. He missed 4 games
Dec 9, 2020 NFL Thigh Glute Strain McCaffrey's thigh tightened up ahead of Week 14 game. He missed 4 games due to that injury.
Sep 23, 2021 NFL Thigh Hamstring Strain Grade 2 McCaffrey suffered a strained hamstring in Week 3's Panthers win over the Texans. He missed five games.
Nov 28, 2021 NFL Pedal Ankle Sprain Grade 2 McCaffrey rolled his left ankle in Week 12's loss to the Dolphins. He was placed on injured reserve Monday and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Oct 15, 2023 NFL Chest Rib Sprain/Pull Unspecified McCaffrey left Week 6 vs. the Browns in the third quarter due to an oblique injury.
Dec 31, 2023 NFL Leg Calf Strain McCaffrey suffered a strained calf in Week 17 vs. the Commanders.
Aug 4, 2024 NFL Pedal Achilles Sprain Grade 2 McCaffrey missed Week 1 of 2024 then went on IR with Achilles Tendinitis.

Basic StatsChristian McCaffrey's Preseason Player Analysis

View RB Fantasy Rankings »

Bottom Line

McCaffrey is coming off a dominant 2023 season, leading all RBs in total fantasy points and points per game.

He turned 28 in June but has shown no signs of decline, actually posting career highs in most rushing efficiency metrics last year. The 49ers clearly aren’t worried about his age, handing him a two-year extension this offseason.

McCaffrey returns to a nearly identical situation this season. He’s the clear top RB in fantasy football and should be a top-2 pick in every draft.

What We Learned Last Year

  • McCaffrey led all RBs last year with 395.3 total PPR points and 24.7 PPR points per game. (He also led in half-PPR and non-PPR points.)
  • The 24.7 PPR points per game were the eighth most from a RB over the last 10 seasons.
  • McCaffrey benefitted from awesome usage.
    • He led all RBs with 1,006 offensive snaps and 550 pass routes.
    • McCaffrey ranked fourth among RBs in both carries per game (17.0) and targets per game (5.2).
    • He ranked second among RBs in carries inside the 10-yard line (34) and fourth in carries inside the five (17).
    • He led all RBs with eight targets inside the 10.
    • McCaffrey led all RBs with 20.5 expected PPR points per game.
  • McCaffrey exceeded his expected PPR points per game by 4.2 because he remained one of the best RBs in the league.
  • He set career highs last year with:
    • 5.4 yards per carry
    • 3.4 yards after contact per attempt
    • 0.22 missed tackles forced per attempt
    • 65.5 Pro Football Focus elusive rating
    • 90.6 PFF rushing grade
  • McCaffrey tied for third among 49 qualifying RBs in PFF rushing grade.
  • He ranked second among those 49 RBs in NFL Next Gen Stats’ Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt.
  • McCaffrey was also awesome in the passing game. Among 43 RBs with 30+ targets, he ranked:
    • 14th in catch rate
    • 7th in yards per catch
    • 6th in yards per target
    • 9th in yards per route
    • 2nd in PFF receiving grade

What to Expect in 2024

  • McCaffrey is back in San Francisco and even got a two-year contract extension in early June that keeps him with the 49ers through the 2027 season.
  • The team clearly isn’t worried about a decline from the 28-year-old. It’s tough to argue with that considering McCaffrey set career highs in most rushing efficiency metrics last year.
  • HC Kyle Shanahan suggested in early June that he’d like to lighten McCaffrey’s load.
    • “If he’s just taking the wear and tear with 20 carries and stuff every game — and he’s definitely good enough to do that, and he’s proved he can stay healthy — but you’d like to take some of that off him and give it to other guys also.”
  • That’s easier said than done, especially when the 49ers only added fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo and undrafted rookie Cody Schrader to the backfield. We’re expecting McCaffrey to again have the most fantasy-friendly role among RBs this season.
  • The 49ers return QB Brock Purdy along with WR Deebo Samuel, WR Brandon Aiyuk, and TE George Kittle.
  • They also return all five starters on the offensive line. Last year’s 49ers ranked:
    • 1st in Pro Football Focus’ run-blocking grades
    • 23rd in ESPN’s run-block win rate
    • 1st in adjusted line yards
  • Our Injury Predictor gives McCaffrey a 63.6% chance of injury (21st-highest among RBs) and 3.0 projected games missed (tied for eighth most) this season.

Recent Injury Bites View All Shark Bites »

Christian McCaffrey, RB SF

5:04pm EDT 9/30/24

Christian McCaffrey Has Tendinitis In Both Achilles

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey has been dealing with tendinitis in both Achilles, according to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. It's still unclear when he started having these issues (it was reported as a calf injury all August) but helps explain why McCaffrey has had so much trouble getting on the field. McCaffrey is expected to ramp up his rehab this week, although it sounds like Week 10 is his likeliest date to return to game action.

View all Christian McCaffrey Shark Bites »

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is seeing a specialist in Germany about his lingering Achilles tendinitis, HC Kyle Shanahan said Monday. "Those treatments likely involve therapies designed to increase blood flow — and thus the healing process — in his sore Achilles," The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes.

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49ers RB Christian McCaffrey was placed on IR with Achilles tendinitis and calf tightness. He will miss the next four games at least, and may miss more when the 49ers assess the injury in October. Jordan Mason will handle RB1 duties.

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49ers RB Christian McCaffrey will officially not play again for Week 2 due to his Achilles injury. Despite getting in limited practices all week, McCaffrey will miss his second straight game to open the season with RB Jordan Mason taking over the starting role like he did against the Jets. HC Kyle Shanahan said that IR is a possibility for McCaffrey

View Full Story »

How do Injuries impact your draft strategy?

For us, it's 1/17th of the equation. Hear us out.

The Draft War Room is the only live-sync draft tool that monitors 17 crucial in-draft indicators, including injury likelihood… and adapts to show you which players to pick throughout your draft.

See how we built the 17 indicators into our Draft War Room »
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