Christian McCaffrey Injury: Can SF Bell Cow Conquer Calf Condition In NFC Championship?

Forty-Niners' head coach Kyle Shanahan listed running backs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell as day-to-day with a calf and groin injury, respectively, but both are expected to play vs. the Eagles on Sunday.

Neither running back will practice on Wednesday, according to Shanahan.

The dynamic McCaffrey, SIC score 85, likely suffered from cramps or a mild right calf strain, according to the Pro Football Docs, and will yield more snaps and carries to Mitchell in the NFC Championship game.

The running back described his ailment simply as “discomfort” and Shanahan called it a “contusion,” but there is no video clearly showing a calf contusion and his sideline treatment signaled a muscular issue.

After the 27-year-old logged five carries for eight yards in the first 12 plays, he rushed five times over the last three quarters and ceded 22 plays and 14 rushes to Mitchell. 

McCaffrey was limited to 57 total yards vs. the Cowboys, 30 of which came on the game-winning 91-yard touchdown drive. 

The 57 yards was his fewest since Week 12 – Jimmy Garoppolo's last start that he finished – when McCaffrey was limited by left patellar tendonitis and gained 49 yards against the Saints.

McCaffrey missed 23 games from 2020-21 but came into this season with a clean bill of health and has played 19 of 19 games with 2,073 total yards and 15 touchdowns.