San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan offered a hopeful update on injuries to running back Christian McCaffrey during a speech to KNBR on Tuesday, suggesting he is on track to return to practice after this week’s bye.

“We hope it goes that way,” he said (h/t Kyle Bonilla 49ers Web Zone). “It’s trending that way and it’s been that way since the day we stopped him and we’ve been moving really slowly. He’s getting there. He hasn’t had a setback and hopefully he can have a really good week and we can have a good week.” “He will start training next week and that will be very important for us.”

McCaffrey, 28, missed the entire 2024 season and has been out since Sept. 14 with bilateral Achilles tendinitis. This kept one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks off the field.

With his absence and Elijah Mitchell out for the season with a hamstring issue, the Niners have had to rely on players like Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the backfield, while winger Deebo Samuel has also contributed as a dual-threat option. .

The team’s vaunted offensive attack hasn’t taken much of a hit. Mason threw for 685 yards and three touchdowns, Guerendo added 227 yards and a score, and the team’s 159 yards per game ranked fourth in the NFL behind only the Baltimore Ravens (200 YPG), Philadelphia Eagles (165.9 YPG) and Washington Commanders is taking. (165.8 YPG).

But McCaffrey is a dynamic receiver as well as a runner, and San Francisco has dealt with injuries throughout the season to Brandon Aiyuk (who is out for the year with a torn ACL), Samuel and Jauan Jennings. Rookie Ricky Pearsall also missed the first six games of the season while recovering from gunshot wounds.

In other words, the Niners are plagued by injuries and a team with Super Bowl aspirations started the season 4-4. However, with the upcoming Week 9 bye, the team will have a chance to get a little healthier.

And McCaffrey appears on track to potentially return for Week 10 action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The return of quarterback Brock Purdy, who has seen his supporting cast reduced due to injury this season, will be greatly welcomed.