Will 49ers play Christian McCaffrey against the Chiefs? Here’s what NFL insiders say
San Francisco 49ers running back Jeff Wilson Jr. wears jersey No. 22, so Christian McCaffrey will have to pick a new number when he joins the Niners.
It’s doubtful McCaffrey will mind since he is joining a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The Carolina Panthers agreed to trade McCaffrey, a former All-Pro, to San Francisco on Thursday night for second-, third- and fourth-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft along with a fifth-round pick in 2024, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
That deal was made less than 72 hours before the 49ers play host to the Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium.
Will McCaffrey be in uniform (no matter the number he wears) against the Chiefs on Sunday? And will he play? NFL writers from around the country expect that will be the case.
Schefter reported McCaffrey is expected to join the 49ers on Friday. “It will be challenging to have him in uniform Sunday vs. the Chiefs, but McCaffrey did go to Stanford and anything possible,” Schefter wrote on Twitter.
49ers' RB Christian McCaffrey is scheduled to fly to San Francisco on Friday, when he will meet his new teammates and begin to learn the new playbook. It will be challenging to have him in uniform Sunday vs. the Chiefs, but McCaffrey did go to Stanford and anything possible.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2022
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport struck a more optimistic tone when he tweeted he “expects” McCaffrey to play against the Chiefs.
David Lombardi, who covers the 49ers for the Athletic, added to Rapoport’s tweet and wrote: “Expect at least red-zone work for Christian McCaffrey in 49ers-Chiefs.”
Expect at least red-zone work for Christian McCaffrey in 49ers-Chiefs. And I think the red zone — on both sides — may determine this game https://t.co/kUmxK70fHm
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) October 21, 2022
Jordan Schultz, the Score’s NFL Insider, echoed that sentiment, and said a source told him “there’s a pretty good chance” McCaffrey plays against the Chiefs.
Source says there’s a “pretty good chance” Christian McCaffrey will play for the #49ers this weekend against Patrick Mahomes and the visiting #Chiefs. Wouldn’t expect a full snap count as he begins to learn the playbook, but am told SF plans to deploy him “around the end-zone.”
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 21, 2022
McCaffrey, 26, is in his sixth year in the NFL. He has twice topped 1,000 yards rushing in a season and led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,392) in 2019. He started all six of the Panthers’ games this season and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry (393 rushing yards in 85 attempts).
Update
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan joined KNBR-AM on Friday, per 49ers Web Zone, and said he was still undecided on McCaffrey’s status for the Chiefs game.
“I’m still up in the air whether we’re going to be able to get him here for Sunday or not,” Shanahan said, per the website. “I know for sure he’ll be here the following Sunday. But that’s kind of why I’m in a wait-and-see approach right now.”
Later, Shanahan said, “I’m not sure at all (about Sunday). This happened so fast, and we’ve just got to see where he’s at.”
