The bye week couldn’t come soon enough for Kyle Shanahan’s group as injuries have cascaded upon this team early in the season. Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk (out for the season) have all missed at least one game this season. But the 49ers’ greatest absence has been that of reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, who’s been sidelined by Achilles tendonitis. The good news is he could return in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Having McCaffrey back on the field would be a welcome sight for a team sitting at 4-4, including 1-3 in one-score games. The 49ers rank fourth in rushing through eight weeks, and kudos to Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo for stepping up in McCaffrey’s absence. They have been good, and at times even great. Mason currently has the NFL’s third-most rush yards with 685. Guerendo rushed for 6.1 yards per carry and a touchdown in Sunday night’s win over Dallas. But San Francisco isn’t the same without McCaffrey, who leads the NFL with 119.1 scrimmage yards per game since joining the team prior to Week 7 of the 2022 season. The 49ers are 26-7 in games in which McCaffrey has played for them (including playoffs).

Right now in the NFC West, the 49ers have the same record as the Cardinals and Seahawks, while the Rams, who are finally getting healthier, aren’t far behind at 3-4. The division is truly up for grabs as the NFL approaches midseason, and McCaffrey is the type of player who can make all the difference in those one-score games thanks to his versatility as a ball-carrier and pass catcher. With a healthy McCaffrey, this feels like a playoff team.