Calf injury to keep 49ers' Christian McCaffrey out for preseason - ESPN

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Given his status as a veteran and one of the team's best players, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was always unlikely to play much, if at all, in the preseason.

If there was a chance for that, however, it no longer exists. McCaffrey did not participate in practice Tuesday after missing the team portion of drills Sunday because of a strained calf. Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey is likely to miss a couple weeks of practice and is all but certain to miss the team's three exhibition games.

«He did it a couple days ago,» Shanahan said. «It's all right. He didn't pull it or anything, but you guys probably won't see him this preseason.»

A two-week timeline would give McCaffrey, the NFL's reigning Offensive Player of the Year, plenty of time to return to practice before the Sept. 9 season opener against the New York Jets on «Monday Night Football.» Coming off a season in which he had a career-high 417 touches (including playoffs), the Niners have been giving McCaffrey regular rest during this training camp.

Under the normal schedule, McCaffrey was due for a veteran's day off along with end Nick Bosa on Tuesday but while Bosa watched practice from the sideline, McCaffrey was in the midst of rehab and out of view during the session.

In the opening days of camp, McCaffrey noted that training camp is important for him as a means to prepare for the hefty workload he takes on in the course of a season.

«For me it's put my body, mind and soul in the best position to play every snap,» McCaffrey said. «And then coaches got to be coaches, whatever they think is best, but I know for me, I prepare to play every snap so I'm ready to go.»

McCaffrey isn't the only Niners running back dealing with