49ers activate Christian McCaffrey off injured reserve - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. — On Friday, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said only «something crazy» happening on the team's flight to Tampa Bay would prevent running back Christian McCaffrey from making his debut on Sunday.

That, apparently, did not happen as the Niners made McCaffrey's return to the 53-man roster official on Saturday, activating him from injured reserve after missing the first eight games because of bilateral Achilles tendinitis.

For McCaffrey, the chance to get back on the field comes not a moment too soon.

«Sometimes you take it for granted that you play this game for a living and it's what you do, it's what you train for, but when it's taken from you, even just for a little bit of time, it makes you really appreciate every single day you're on the grass,» McCaffrey said Friday.

To make room on the roster for McCaffrey, the 49ers waived running back Patrick Taylor Jr. on Friday night. Adding McCaffrey leaves the Niners with four backs on the depth chart with Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

McCaffrey went on injured reserve on Sept. 14 and has remained there for nearly two months before his activation Saturday. Through a time that McCaffrey described Friday as «tough,» he has gone through extensive rehab and treatment plans to get back on the field.

That included a trip to Germany the weekend of Sept. 22 to visit with a specialist. While McCaffrey declined to get into details of that trip, he did say he would «do anything to come back.»

McCaffrey opened his practice window Monday and then participated in all four of the team's sessions this week with no apparent issues, opening the door for his return. He credited Niners general manager John Lynch, coach Kyle Shanahan, owner Jed York