Christian McCaffrey downplays ankle scare, expects to play in 49ers season opener

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said he expects to play in the team’s season opener at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday after suffering a sore ankle at Thursday’s practice that left him listed as questionable.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey hurt himself during the session, but McCaffrey minimized the issue in remarks to reporters, saying the club was being cautious because of his recent injury history. "Nothing serious, I'll tell you that," McCaffrey said. "Like I said, I feel great about where I'm at. Unfortunately when you have the injury history that I have, sometimes when you don't practice, things get blown out of proportion. But like I said, I feel great."

The 49ers organization described the move to list McCaffrey as questionable as precautionary. Shanahan did not characterize the ankle issue as long-term and indicated the team will monitor McCaffrey through pregame warmups before making a final determination on his status for the opener in Seattle.

McCaffrey has a well-documented injury history that has frequently influenced his availability. He sat out part of last year’s training camp with a similar calf issue and missed the 2024 opener because of bilateral Achilles tendinitis. He sought treatment from a specialist in Germany and subsequently missed seven games that season. That history has contributed to heightened caution by the 49ers' medical and coaching staffs when he experiences even minor setbacks.

The 49ers enter the regular season with championship expectations, and McCaffrey is a focal point of their offense after earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in prior seasons. San Francisco’s game plan and personnel decisions for Sunday will be watched closely if McCaffrey is limited at the walkthroughs or pregame warmups.

If McCaffrey is unavailable, the 49ers have depth at running back on their roster and will adjust their rotation. Shanahan has previously emphasized a committee approach when necessary and highlighted the importance of protecting long-term health for key contributors during a 17-game regular season.

The team will provide an updated injury report and a final game-day decision on McCaffrey following Saturday’s practice and routine pregame evaluations Sunday morning.