49ers running back Christian McCaffrey thrilled to make season launching after ‘dark’ 8 weeks

Spending the veryfirst half of the season as a viewer while he worked his method back from Achilles tendinitis took its toll on San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey explained being in a “dark” location throughout his 8 weeks on the sideline, dealing with both physical discomfort and the aggravation over not being able to play. That is now in the past with McCaffrey set to make his season launching for San Francisco on Sunday versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Sometimes you simply take it for approved that you play this videogame for a living and it’s what you do, it’s what you train for,” McCaffrey stated Friday. “But when it’s taken from you, even simply for a little bit of time, it makes you truly value every single day when you’re on the lawn.”

McCaffrey returned to practice on Monday and hasactually made it through 4 days of work on the field without any obstacles, cleaning the method for him to play. He is noted as doubtful duetothefactthat he is still on hurt reserve however is set to be triggered Saturday.

“We’ll take him off IR tomorrow and then he’ll be excellent to go,” coach Kyle Shanahan stated. “So unless something insane takesplace on this aircraft trip, he needto be excellent to go assoonas he gets off IR.”

The injury news isn’t all favorable for San Francisco with star defensive end Nick Bosa noted as doubtful after hurting his hip in practice Wednesday. Shanahan stated he’s worried Bosa may not be able to play Sunday.

“He wasn’t able to do a lot (at practice). He was exceptionally minimal,” Shanahan stated. “Hoping he’ll be all best, however we’ll see on Sunday.”

San Francisco will likewise be without beginning cornerback Charvarius Ward, who hasactually been away from the group all week following the death last week of his 1-year-old child, Amani Joy. A memorial service was held Friday in Dallas and basic supervisor John Lynch led a contingent of group authorities there to assistance Ward.

[RELATED: 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey headlines 5 key additions for teams chasing playoffs]

McCaffrey hasactually been dealing with Achilles tendinitis consideringthat early August. He missedouton nearly all of training camp before returning to practice simply inthepast the season opener. He was scratched at the last minute before that videogame versus the New York Jets on Sept. 9 and then had a problem at practice Sept. 12.

He was put on hurt reserve 2 days lateron and invested the past 7 weeks resting and fixingup, consistingof a journey to Germany for treatment that McCaffrey didn’t desire to talk about Friday.

“I keep all that things personal,” he stated “When you’re on IR and harmed, you’ll do anything to come back. I feel great ideal now. That’s all that matters.”

The 49ers (4-4) are counting on McCaffrey’s return for a second-half increase. San Francisco has sputtered in the veryfirst half of the season with the offense scoring 3.9 less points per videogame than last season.

Jordan Mason hasactually done a excellent task filling in for McCaffrey with 685 backyards hurrying in 8 videogames, however the Niners have sorely missedouton the ruling AP Offensive Player of the Year in the red zone and in the passing videogame. San Francisco’s 26 captures by running backs are 4th mostaffordable in the league after ranking in the leading 5 when McCaffrey was offered the past 2 seasons.

McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 backyards from skirmish and was connected for the league lead with 21 goals as he assisted lead San Francisco to the Super Bowl.

After missingouton 23 videogames duetothefactthat of injuries in his last 2 complete seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey hadactually been healthy the past 2 seasons.

He missedouton just one videogame integrated in 2022-23 — a useless Week 18 videogame last season for San Francisco when he had a aching calf. His 798 integrated touches from skirmish in the routine season and playoffs were the 3rd most for any gamer in a two-year period in the past 10 years.

But he has no issue about the injury going forward.

“I feel great now,” he stated. “I wouldn’t be out here if it was still troubling me. I feel fantastic.”

NOTES: DT Kevin Givens (groin) and WR Chris Conley (hamstring) will missouton the videogame. … WR Deebo Samuel (rib, oblique), S Malik Mustapha (calf) and OL Jon Feliciano (knee) are all noted as doubtful. … DL Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) won’t be triggered off IR to play this week.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]