The San Francisco 49ers are heading into their bye week after Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, which means running back Christian McCaffrey could soon return from calf and Achilles injuries that landed him on injured reserve.

ESPN’s Nick Wagoner “McCaffrey will ‘hit hard’ this week with some simulated practice drills as the team goes bye. If all goes well, they aim to have him back in practice next week, according to Kyle Shanahan.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that the running back could play in the team’s next game:

After a dominant 2023 season, McCaffrey appeared poised for a repeat in 2024, but he was diagnosed with a calf strain and bilateral Achilles tendinitis shortly before the start of the campaign and surprisingly did not play in the team’s Week 1 game.

McCaffrey was subsequently placed on IR before the Niners’ Week 2 game, meaning he was required to miss at least four games, but was not activated after the four-game minimum.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com’s) Jeremy Bergman) reported in late September that McCaffrey visited Germany to receive treatment “similar to a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection” and aims to return in early November.

In McCaffrey’s absence, Jordan Mason became the Niners’ new leader, rushing for 609 yards and three touchdowns in the first six games of the season.

However, Mason suffered a shoulder sprain in the Week 6 win against the Seattle Seahawks, pushing rookies Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor into more significant action.

While the 49ers have an offensive line and an offensive system that can get the most out of multiple NFL-caliber running backs, none of them have the same type of skill set as McCaffrey.

The 28-year-old veteran began his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers and earned two Pro Bowl honors and a First Team All-Pro selection over six seasons.

Carolina traded McCaffrey to the Niners during the 2022 offseason, and he then went on to enjoy arguably the best season of his career in 2023.

McCaffrey set a new career high with 1,459 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns while adding 67 receptions for 564 yards and seven more scores.

He was named to the Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro, won the Offensive Player of the Year Award and finished third in NFL MVP voting.

The 49ers have sorely missed McCaffrey’s versatility, and his potential return could provide a major boost as they battle for a playoff spot in the second half of the season.