McCaffrey Leaves Falcons Game With Thigh Injury, Questionable to Return

Christian McCaffrey went to the locker room with a thigh injury in the second quarter of the San Francisco 49ers' game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, and the team listed him as questionable to return.

McCaffrey took a hard hit around the thigh after a 25-yard reception on the 49ers' opening drive, Fox Sports reported. He stayed in the game and finished that drive with a leaping one-yard touchdown run. He accounted for 69 yards on the drive. He came back for the second drive, touched the ball once, and then left for good in the first half.

Trainers worked on his thigh on the sideline for much of the first half. He went into the medical tent, came out and tried to loosen up on the sideline, then left the field for the locker room with about five minutes left in the second quarter, NBC Sports Bay Area reported. At halftime San Francisco led Atlanta 14-12, and McCaffrey's status was still questionable.

His first half line was four carries for 29 yards and a touchdown, plus three catches for 45 yards.

The rookie who replaced him

Rookie Kaelon Black took over the backfield and scored his first career touchdown on a 30-yard run early in the second quarter, finishing a drive in which he ran for 52 yards. By halftime he had 11 carries for 60 yards and the touchdown, and one lost fumble.

Why the timing cuts both ways

San Francisco came into Week 7 at 6-0 and already short of players. Wide receiver Mike Evans missed the game with an Achilles injury, edge rusher Nick Bosa was still out with a calf injury, Deebo Samuel was out, and 14 players sit on injured reserve, Fox Sports reported. McCaffrey had carried the offense through that stretch: 350 rushing yards at 4.5 yards per carry, 190 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns this season, including a season-high 25 touches in Week 6.

The 49ers have a bye in Week 8, which gives the team a reason to be careful on Sunday and a week of rest if the thigh needs it. Kyle Shanahan's update after the game is the next hard fact: whether McCaffrey was held out as a precaution, or whether the thigh kept him out.

This story covers the injury as it stood at halftime. It does not report a final score, because the game was still being played when the injury news was confirmed by the team and by Fox Sports, USA Today and NBC Sports Bay Area.